DATE=1/12/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244064
TITLE=CHINA/MISSILES (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  CHINA SAYS IT IS CONCERNED ABOUT U-S / JAPANESE PLANS TO 
STUDY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM 
AND IS URGING WASHINGTON  NOT  TO INCLUDE TAIWAN IN THE PROJECT. 
V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS BEIJING SAYS THE 
DEPLOYMENT OF SUCH A SYSTEM COULD TRIGGER A NEW ARMS RACE IN EAST
ASIA.

TEXT:  U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN IS IN JAPAN TO DISCUSS
TOKYO'S COOPERATION IN BUILDING AN ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE.  CAUGHT 
OFF-GUARD BY NORTH KOREA'S LAUNCH OF A MISSILE THAT OVERFLEW ITS 
TERRITORY LAST AUGUST, JAPAN IS ALSO PLANNING TO LAUNCH FOUR 
INTELLIGENCE AND OTHER SATELLITES BY THE YEAR 2003. 

THE PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPING THE ULTRA-SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM TO 
SHOOT DOWN MISSILES -- KNOWN AS THEATER MISSILE DEFENSE, OR T-M-D
FOR SHORT -- ARE STILL ON THE DRAWING BOARD.  BUT BOTH WASHINGTON
AND TOKYO HAVE APPROPRIATED MONEY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.  
ANY SIGN THAT TOKYO MIGHT IMPROVE ITS DEFENSE POSTURE WORRIES 
CHINA, WHICH HAS  NOT  FORGOTTEN THE BRUTALITY OF JAPAN'S 
INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF ITS TERRITORY IN THE 1930'S AND 
1940'S.  CHINA ALSO WORRIES THAT IT MAY HAVE TO SPEND BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS TO MATCH WHATEVER HIGH-TECH WEAPONS THE UNITED STATES AND
JAPAN DEPLOY IN THE REGION.

CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SUN YUXI -- SPEAKING TUESDAY 
THROUGH AN INTERPRETER -- GAVE VOICE TO BEIJING'S CONCERNS.

                 /////INTERPRETER ACTUALITY/////

         THE DEPLOYMENT AND PROLIFERATION OF STRATEGIC ARMAMENTS 
         MIGHT TRIGGER A NEW ARMS RACE AND MIGHT DO HARM TO THE 
         STRATEGIC BALANCE AND STABILITY OF THE WORLD.

                     /////END ACTUALITY/////

MR. SUN SAID CHINA HOPES JAPAN ABIDES BY ITS CONSTITUTIONALLY 
MANDATED POLICY TO USE FORCE ONLY IN CASE OF DEFENSE.  BEIJING IS
ALSO STRONGLY OPPOSED TO ANY HINT THAT U-S/JAPANESE DEFENSE 
COOPERATION MIGHT APPLY TO TAIWAN, WHICH IT CONSIDERS A REBEL 
PROVINCE.  CHINA HAS PLEDGED TO REUNIFY THE ISLAND WITH THE 
MAINLAND AND REFUSES TO RULE OUT THE USE OF FORCE.

TAIWAN'S WARY ARMED FORCES CONTINUE TO ACQUIRE WEAPONS TO PREVENT
AN INVASION OR MISSILE ATTACK FROM THE MAINLAND, AND THE UNITED 
STATES IS THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF SUPPLY.  CHINA SAYS THAT VIOLATES 
A 1982 AGREEMENT THAT WASHINGTON WILL GRADUALLY REDUCE AND 
EVENTUALLY HALT SUCH SALES. IT ALSO SAYS INTEGRATING TAIWAN INTO 
THE T-M-D WOULD BE A STRONG SETBACK TO GOOD U-S/CHINA RELATIONS.

SO WHAT DOES MR. SUN WANT WASHINGTON TO DO, OR NOT TO DO? 

                 /////INTERPRETER ACTUALITY/////

         NOT TO TRANSFER THE T-M-D AND THE RELEVANT TECHNOLOGY TO
         TAIWAN AND NOT TO SELL SOPHISTICATED WEAPONS TO THEM SO 
         AS NOT TO DO HARM TO BILATERAL RELATIONS.

                     /////END ACTUALITY/////

THE UNITED STATES IS BOUND BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS TO ENSURE THAT 
ALL THE WEAPONS IT SELLS TO TAIWAN ARE STRICTLY DEFENSIVE.  LAST 
YEAR, THE UNITED STATES SOLD THE ISLAND ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES, 
ANTI-SHIP MISSILES AND ANTI-SUBMARINE TORPEDOES.  (SIGNED)

NEB/RW/LTD/KL

12-Jan-99 8:02 AM EST (1302 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.