DATE=6/29/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA MISSILE (L)
NUMBER=2-263902
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A group of prominent experts on Chinese
politics have written to President Clinton asking him
to put off his coming decision on whether to build a
limited U-S missile defense system. Critics say the
system will prompt China to sharply increase its stock
of nuclear missiles, which might spark similar
buildups by neighboring India and Pakistan. As V-O-
A's Jim Randle reports, Pentagon officials say U-S
efforts to develop a ballistic missile defense will
not spark a new arms race in Asia.
TEXT: Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon says the U-S system
that its designers hope will shoot down ballistic
missiles headed for the United States is `strictly
defensive.'
Mr. Bacon says the National Missile Defense is not
aimed at China and is no threat to anything - except a
small number of ballistic missiles streaking through
space toward the American heartland.
Mr. Bacon's comments follow a letter to President
Clinton from 45 U-S experts on China who say officials
in Beijing view the effort as a sign of `hostility
toward their country' that will prompt them to build
more and more modern nuclear tipped missiles.
But the Pentagon spokesman says China started work on
new missiles long before Washington started work on
new defenses.
/// Bacon act ///
They were in the process of modernizing their
strategic force, long before the National
Missile Defense became a hot political issue in
the United States or a hot diplomatic issue on
the world scene today. These are plans that
were not stated last week or last month, they
have been going on for some time.
/// end act ///
Mr. Bacon says Defense Secretary William Cohen will
travel to China next month for talks on military
issues, including missile defenses.
He says those meetings with top officials may include
talks with China's President Jiang Zemin.
Missile experts say if the U-S National Missile
Defense system works as intended, it could stop a
dozen or so unsophisticated weapons launched by
countries like North Korea or Iraq that have missile
programs of concern to the United States.
Chinese officials say they have a small number of
nuclear missiles designed to be a deterrent against
potential adversaries. But they complain they will be
forced to build new weapons if U-S system makes their
strategic deterrent irrelevant.
Meantime, President Clinton says a July 7th test of the
National Missile Defense will help him decide if the
complex, controversial and expensive system will work
- and if it is worth the financial and diplomatic
cost. (Signed)
NEB/JR/KBK
29-Jun-2000 16:08 PM EDT (29-Jun-2000 2008 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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