Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=4/13/2001

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=TAIWAN / U-S / CHINA (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-274876

BYLINE=ALISHA RYU

DATELINE=HONG KONG

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Taiwanese officials are expressing satisfaction at the easing of tensions between China and the United States since Beijing released the crew of a crippled U-S spy plane. But as VOA's Alisha Ryu reports from our Asia news center, Taiwan remains gravely concerned about possible further fallout from the 12-day standoff.

TEXT: Taipei Friday reiterated that the island will remain neutral in the current spy plane dispute.

Despite the release of the 24 Americans on board the plane, Washington and Beijing are to begin talks next week in an effort to resolve lingering issues. Among them are the return of the damaged E-P-3 plane and China's demands for an end to U-S surveillance flights.

But officials from Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which oversees China policy, say they remain nervous that U-S plans to sell advanced weaponry to Taiwan could be torpedoed in upcoming talks as a concession to China. Teng Chen-chung is a vice chairman with the council.

/// TENG ACT IN MANDARIN EST. AND FADE UNDER ///

Mr. Teng says Taiwan is concerned that China and the United States will link the spy plane dispute to other issues regarding the island. He insists that the impending arms sale to Taiwan should remain a separate consideration.

Each April - in line with the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act - the United States announces what weapons Taiwan will be able to purchase to defend itself. Among Taiwan's requests this year are naval destroyers equipped with Aegis battle management system that can track Chinese missiles aimed at the island.

China - which sees Taiwan as a renegade province stubbornly resisting inevitable reunification with the mainland - has repeatedly said such a sale to the island would seriously damage already fragile Sino-U-S relations.

///REST OPT///

On April first, a U-S E-P-3 spy plane collided with a Chinese jet over the South China Sea - killing the Chinese pilot and forcing the damaged EP-3 to land in Hainan. China's subsequent detention of the 24 U-S crew members created a diplomatic crisis, the worst since 1996 when U-S planes accidentally bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. (Signed)

NEB/HK/AR/HB/PFH