DATE=6/3/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250164
TITLE=CHINA / NORTH KOREA (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: NORTH KOREA'S NUMBER TWO LEADER HAS ARRIVED IN BEIJING
FOR A FIVE-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT AIMED AT SHORING UP TIES WITH HIS
COUNTRY'S LAST MAJOR ALLY. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON
REPORTS KIM YONG-NAM, HEAD OF NORTH KOREA'S PARLIAMENT, IS THE
HIGHEST-RANKING OFFICIAL FROM THAT COUNTRY TO VISIT CHINA SINCE
THE LATE PRESIDENT KIM IL-SUNG WENT THERE IN 1991.
TEXT: KIM YONG-NAM IS LEADING A HIGH-POWERED DELEGATION THAT
INCLUDES NORTH KOREA'S PREMIER AND ITS FOREIGN AND DEFENSE
MINISTERS. THE CHINESE ARE GIVING HIM THE RED CARPET TREATMENT,
AS BOTH COUNTRIES SEEK TO MEND RELATIONS THAT WERE FRAYED BY
BEIJING'S ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH SOUTH KOREA IN
1992.
ONLY TWO YEARS AGO, AS NORTH KOREA WAS IN THE MIDST OF A FAMINE
CAUSED NOT ONLY BY NATURAL DISASTERS, BUT ALSO BY CHRONIC
MISMANAGEMENT OF ITS COLLECTIVE FARM SYSTEM, CHINESE OFFICIALS
SUGGESTED PYONGYANG ADOPT CHINESE-STYLE ECONOMIC REFORMS. BUT
FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO -- SPEAKING THROUGH AN
INTERPRETER -- INDICATED THURSDAY THAT BEIJING WOULD BE LESS
ASSERTIVE DURING MR. KIM'S VISIT ABOUT TOUTING ITS ECONOMIC MODEL
TO THE NORTH KOREANS.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE DIFFERENT NATIONAL CONDITIONS. CHINA
IS EMBARKING ON SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS. AND
OTHER COUNTRIES SHOULD DO THE SAME IN LIGHT OF THEIR OWN
NATIONAL CONDITIONS. WE DON'T THINK A PATTERN ADOPTED BY ONE
COUNTRY CAN BE APPLIED TO EVERY COUNTRY.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
THE NEW WARMING IN TIES BETWEEN TWO OF THE WORLD'S LAST COMMUNIST
COUNTRIES COMES AT A TIME OF INCREASING UNCERTAINTY IN NORTHEAST
ASIA. NORTH KOREA'S LAUNCH LAST AUGUST OF A MISSILE THAT FLEW
OVER JAPAN PROMPTED TOKYO TO DEEPEN ITS MILITARY TIES TO THE
UNITED STATES. THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE STUDYING A REGIONAL THEATER
MISSILE DEFENSE, OR T-M-D, THAT WOULD PROTECT JAPAN FROM SUCH A
THREAT. BEIJING MAINTAINS THAT WASHINGTON IS EXAGGERATING THE
THREAT FROM NORTH KOREA, AS A PRETEXT TO PROJECT ITS OWN POWER IN
THE REGION AND CONTAIN CHINA'S RISE.
ASIDE FROM THE SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCE OF A REAFFIRMATION OF
TRADITIONAL TIES BETWEEN COMMUNIST ALLIES, DIPLOMATS IN BEIJING
SAY NORTH KOREA IS HOPING FOR CONTINUED AID FROM CHINA. ONE
WESTERN NORTH-KOREA WATCHER IN THE CHINESE CAPITAL SAYS BEIJING
SENT NEARLY A BILLION DOLLARS IN FOOD, MEDICINES, FERTILIZER AND
FUEL TO ITS STRICKEN NEIGHBOR LAST YEAR. STILL, WHEN ASKED IF
BEIJING IS PLANNING TO GIVE MORE AID TO NORTH KOREA, SPOKESMAN
ZHU WOULD ONLY SAY CHINA HAS NO INTENTION OF SIGNING ANY
AGREEMENTS. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/FC/KL
03-Jun-99 7:16 AM EDT (1116 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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