DATE=3/11/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246492
TITLE=CHINA / RUSSIA / T-M-D (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  CHINA CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS HELD TALKS WITH RUSSIA ON A 
U-S  PLAN FOR A MISSILE UMBRELLA THAT WOULD PROTECT ITS TROOPS 
AND ALLIES IN ASIA.  VOA'S STEPHANIE HO REPORTS, BEIJING HAS 
VOCIFEROUSLY OPPOSED THE PROPOSED MISSILE SYSTEM -- WHICH IS 
BEING STUDIED BY THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN.

TEXT:  CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO, SPEAKING 
THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, SAID CHINA AND RUSSIA ARE AMONG THE 
COUNTRIES IN THE REGION CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED U-S THEATER 
MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM, OR T-M-D.

                    // ZHU INTERPRETER ACT //

  RUSSIA IS OPPOSED TO T-M-D AND WE ALSO EXPRESSED OUR STRONG  
OPPOSITION TO THIS, SO THE TWO COUNTRIES SHARE A POSITION ON THIS
ISSUE.

                          // END ACT //

THE CHINESE SPOKESMAN SAID MANY COUNTRIES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT 
T-M-D  BECAUSE IT AFFECTS BOTH GLOBAL AND REGIONAL SECURITY.  
THEREFORE, HE SAID, MOSCOW AND BEIJING WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS 
THE MATTER.

                   // ZHU INTERPRETER ACT // 

 THE TWO SIDES WILL MAINTAIN CONSULTATION ON THIS ISSUE. 

                          // END ACT //

MR. ZHU DECLINED TO SAY WHETHER CHINA AND RUSSIA PLAN TO TAKE ANY
COUNTER MEASURES, SAYING THE QUESTION OF JOINT ACTION IS ONE THAT
HE CANNOT ANSWER NOW.

WASHINGTON SAYS THE JOINT U-S-JAPAN SECURITY UMBRELLA IS BEING 
CONSIDERED BECAUSE OF A PERCEIVED MISSILE THREAT FROM NORTH 
KOREA.

CHINA HAS VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED SUGGESTIONS THAT TAIWAN SHOULD BE 
INCLUDED UNDER THE UMBRELLA, BECAUSE BEIJING REGARDS THE ISLAND 
AS A RENEGADE PROVINCE.

A RECENTLY PUBLISHED PENTAGON REPORT SAYS CHINA IS BUILDING A 
MAJOR FORCE OF BALLISTIC AND CRUISE MISSILES NEAR ITS TAIWAN 
STRAIT COAST AND COULD PRESENT AN OVERWHELMING MILITARY THREAT TO
TAIWAN IN FIVE YEARS. (SIGNED)

NEB/HO/FC/KL

11-Mar-99 7:05 AM EST (1205 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.