DATE=3/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=COHEN CHINA -L
NUMBER=2-260079
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=HONG KONG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Defense Secretary William Cohen dismisses
charges that Washington is encouraging Taiwan's
independence from China. In a television interview,
he urged Beijing to stop trying to intimidate the
prosperous, democratic island. V-O-A's Jim Randle
reports.
TEXT: Defense Secretary William Cohen used a
television interview (on CNN) to call the Chinese
charges `an exaggeration.' He says U-S policy has not
changed recently, and Washington expects China "to
seek a peaceful resolution of the situation."
Mr. Cohen was responding to accusations by the Chinese
Foreign Minister (Tang Jiaxuan) blaming the United
States for escalating tensions over Taiwan by selling
some anti aircraft missiles and improved radars to the
island.
Washington is also considering a request to sell
Taiwan some of America's best weapons, including
missile systems and high tech ships that would provide
some protection against the hundreds of Chinese
ballistic missiles pointed at Taiwan. China also
complains about a bill working its way through the U-S
Congress calling for closer military ties between
Washington and Taiwan.
Tensions between China and Taiwan have been growing as
the island's March 18th election draws closer. During
Taiwan's last election campaign four years ago, China
tried to intimidate independence-minded voters by
firing missiles into the ocean near the island.
The dispute between China and Taiwan goes back half a
century to when Communists won the Chinese Civil War
and defeated Nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan.
China regards Taiwan as a rebellious province that
must be reunited with the mainland, and has threatened
military action if the island declares independence.
Beijing recently said it might also attack if Taiwan
showed it has no intention of ever reuniting with
China.
Defense Secretary Cohen made his comments in Hong
Kong, where he is set to meet with the city's chief
executive, Tung Chee-hwa on Saturday. Hong Kong was a
British colony for 150 years, but reverted to Chinese
control three years ago under an agreement that
allowed the city to keep its prosperous market
economy, democratic institutions, and local control of
many political decisions, leaving matters of foreign
policy and military affairs to officials in Beijing.
A Senior U-S official based in Hong Kong says in spite
the fears expressed in 1997, China has kept its
promise to allow Hong Kong considerable autonomy. But
Secretary Cohen says Hong Kong is `unique' and is not
necessarily a model for Taiwan to follow. (Signed)
NEB/PT
10-Mar-2000 18:07 PM EDT (10-Mar-2000 2307 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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