DATE=3/9/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246397
TITLE=CHINA ESPIONAGE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING1
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  CHINA HAS DISMISSED CHARGES IT STOLE SENSITIVE NUCLEAR  
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY FROM THE UNITED STATES, SAYING SUCH 
ALLEGATIONS ARE  UNFOUNDED AND HAVE ULTERIOR MOTIVES.  V-O-A 
CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON  REPORTS ON CHINA'S RESPONSE TO THE 
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT  THAT A LEAK OF NUCLEAR 
SECRETS TO CHINA IN THE 1980'S SERIOUSLY HARMED U-S NATIONAL 
SECURITY.

TEXT:  AS FAR AS CHINA IS CONCERNED, THE CHARGES THAT IT STOLE 
NUCLEAR  SECRETS FROM THE UNITED STATES ARE BASELESS AND 
IRRESPONSIBLE.  FOREIGN  MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO 
--SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER -- BLAMES THE ACCUSATIONS ON 
VESTED INTERESTS.

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

 ALL THESE REMARKS ARE UNFOUNDED AND WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVE AND  
IRRESPONSIBLE.  THIS ALSO DEMONSTRATES A KIND OF TREND AT 
PRESENT.  THAT  IS, SOME PEOPLE WANTED TO HAMPER THE NORMAL 
EXPORT BY THE U-S OF SOME  HIGH-TECH PRODUCTS TO CHINA AND HAMPER
THE IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA / U-S RELATIONS.

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

MR. ZHU DID NOT IDENTIFY WHO THE PEOPLE WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES 
ARE, BUT FOREIGN MINISTER TANG JIAXUAN SAID TWO DAYS AGO THAT 
THEY ARE OPPONENTS OF CHINA AND OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S 
POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT WITH CHINA.

U-S ENERGY SECRETARY BILL RICHARDSON ACKNOWLEDGED ON MONDAY THAT 
THE LEAK  OF NUCLEAR SECRETS FROM THE LOS ALAMOS NUCLEAR 
LABORATORY CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO U-S NATIONAL SECURITY.  BUT 
HE REJECTED ACCUSATIONS THAT THE  CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SOFTENED
ITS RESPONSE TO AVOID DAMAGING RELATIONS WITH BEIJING.

THE THEFT OF NUCLEAR INFORMATION HAS BEEN SEIZED ON BY MR. 
CLINTON'S  OPPONENTS TO CRITICIZE THE ADMINISTRATION'S CHINA 
POLICY.  U-S / CHINA  RELATIONS ARE GOING THROUGH A DOWNTURN 
CAUSED BY BEIJING'S CRACKDOWN ON  DISSENT AND U-S PLANS TO STUDY 
THE FEASIBILITY OF DEPLOYING A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IN EAST 
ASIA, WHICH CHINA STRONGLY OPPOSES.

BEIJING HAS WARNED WASHINGTON NOT TO INCLUDE TAIWAN UNDER SUCH A 
SYSTEM,  SAYING SUCH AN ACT WOULD ENCROACH ON ITS SOVEREIGNTY.  
CHINA REGARDS TAIWAN  AS A WAYWARD PROVINCE.  BEIJING ALSO SAYS 
RELATIONS WILL IMPROVE ONLY WHEN  WASHINGTON ABIDES BY AN 
AGREEMENT TO REDUCE AND EVENTUALLY HALT THE SALE OF WEAPONS TO 
TAIWAN.

THE "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTED LAST SATURDAY, THAT CHINA USED 
SECRETS STOLEN FROM LOS ALAMOS TO PRODUCE MINIATURE WARHEADS THAT
COULD BE LAUNCHED FROM A SINGLE MISSILE AT MULTIPLE TARGETS.

CHINESE SPOKESMAN ZHU'S ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT THE AMERICAN NEWS 
MEDIA ARE DISSEMINATING RUMORS.

ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE FIRING OF A CHINESE-AMERICAN SCIENTIST 
SUSPECTED  OF LEAKING THE SECRETS TO BEIJING, MR. ZHU SAYS CHINA 
IS TRYING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CASE.  (SIGNED)

NEB/RW/FC

09-Mar-99 6:28 AM EST (1128 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.