DATE=10/27/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA - U-S (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255509
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: America's top career diplomat has arrived in
Beijing for meetings with Chinese officials that are aimed
at renewing crucial bilateral talks on human rights and
weapons proliferation. The discussions were suspended
after NATO bombs hit the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia last
May. V-O-A correspondent Roger Wilkison reports
Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering's three-day visit
comes as both the United States and China are groping for
ways to get their relationship back on track.
TEXT: Mr. Pickering flew into Beijing from Mongolia
Wednesday afternoon and went to China's Foreign Affairs
College to deliver a speech to young diplomats. The
contents of that speech were not disclosed, but a third-
country diplomat who monitors China - U-S relations says
the invitation to Mr. Pickering is a sign of the respect in
which he is held by the Chinese foreign-policy
establishment.
On his last trip to Beijing, in mid-June, Mr. Pickering had
the tough task of explaining to the irate Chinese
government that the NATO bombing of its embassy in Belgrade
was a mistake resulting from faulty intelligence. The
bombing sent China - U-S relations into a tailspin from
which they have not fully recovered. At the time, Beijing
rejected Mr. Pickering's arguments, calling them
unconvincing. Even though Chinese officials continue to
maintain the attack was deliberate, Beijing has indicated a
willingness to return to a more solid relationship.
Earlier this week, China laid out the red carpet for U-S
Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, who sought to re-
establish his personal rapport with Premier Zhu Rongji.
The two men discussed China's stalled bid to enter the
World Trade Organization. But both sides held their
ground, with China insisting it must enter on the favorable
terms granted developing countries, and the United States
saying Beijing must further open up its markets.
China suspended its negotiations with the United States on
W-T-O accession after the bombing. The talks were renewed
last month, after President Clinton and Chinese President
Jiang Zemin met in New Zealand at the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation forum. But China also broke off bilateral
dialogues on human rights and arms proliferation, and it is
those talks that Mr. Pickering is seeking to renew.
On Wednesday, the United States criticized China for
cracking down on the Falungong spiritual movement and
dissidents belonging to the China Democracy Party. The U-S
criticism came as President Jiang -- who was visiting
France -- rejected attacks on his country's human-rights
record as interference in its internal affairs.
Mr. Pickering is likely to get an earful from Chinese
officials about on a U-S Congressional panel's decision
Tuesday to boost military ties with Taiwan, which China
regards as a wayward province that must be brought under
Beijing's sway. The Clinton administration opposed the
measure, saying it will worsen tensions between the two
rivals. (Signed)
NEB/RW/FC/WTW
27-Oct-1999 07:12 AM EDT (27-Oct-1999 1112 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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