DATE=4/8/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247802
TITLE=U-S CHINA TRADE (L)
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON AND CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI SPOKE OF 
COOPERATION AND HIGH HOPES FOR SINO-AMERICAN RELATIONS AS THEY 
OPENED TALKS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.  BUT AS V-O-A'S PAULA WOLFSON 
REPORTS, IT APPEARS ONE BIG OBJECTIVE OF THE MEETING WILL NOT BE 
MET.

TEXT: THEY WANTED TO SIGN A MAJOR TRADE DEAL DURING MR. ZHU'S 
VISIT TO WASHINGTON.  NOW, IT APPEARS THEY WILL ANNOUNCE A 
PARTIAL AGREEMENT INSTEAD.

AT ISSUE IS CHINA'S DESIRE TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. 
BUT BEFORE THAT CAN HAPPEN, BEIJING AND WASHINGTON MUST WORK OUT 
DIFFERENCES ON TARIFFS AND MARKET ACCESS FOR AMERICAN GOODS 
RANGING FROM ORANGES TO TEXTILES....AND SERVICES FROM INSURANCE 
TO BANKING.  IT'S A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING, AND NEGOTIATORS HAVE 
BEEN WORKING ALMOST NON-STOP.  LITTLE WAS SAID ABOUT THE MATTER 
DURING AN OFFICIAL WELCOMING CEREMONY FOR PREMIER ZHU, ALTHOUGH 
PRESIDENT CLINTON BRIEFLY ALLUDED TO THE NEED TO INTEGRATE CHINA 
INTO INSTITUTIONS THAT - - IN HIS WORDS - - PROMOTE GLOBAL NORMS.
IF THERE ARE DIFFERENCES, SAID THE PRESIDENT, WE SHOULD TRY TO 
WORK THEM OUT.

                        ///CLINTON ACT///

         WE NOW RECOGNIZE THAT OUR INTERESTS COINCIDE ON MANY 
         ISSUES AND DIVERGE ON SOME OTHERS, BUT THAT WE HAVE A 
         FUNDAMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK WITH CANDOR AND 
         LISTEN WITH AN OPEN MIND.

                        //// END ACT////

PREMIER ZHU ALSO TRIED TO PORTRAY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE 
TWO COUNTRIES IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT, DOWNPLAYING ALL NOTIONS
OF CONTROVERSY AND STRAIN.

///ZHU IN CHINESE - - ESTABLISH AND FADE///

HE SAID THE UNITED STATES IS THE MOST PROSPEROUS COUNTRY ON THE 
GLOBE, AND CHINA IS THE LARGEST POTENTIAL MARKET.  THE CHINESE 
LEADER SAID CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN THESE TWO COUNTRIES ON 
TRADE WILL BENEFIT THE ENTIRE WORLD.

IN ADDITION TO TRADE, PRESIDENT CLINTON AND PREMIER ZHU HAD A 
WIDE ARRAY OF ISSUES ON THEIR AGENDA: FROM HUMAN RIGHTS, TO 
CHINESE OPPOSITION TO THE NATO BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA.

ALTHOUGH THEY STRESSED THE POSITIVE DURING THEIR PUBLIC 
APPEARANCES, THERE WAS ALSO LIKELY TO BE SOME TOUGH TALK ON 
NUCLEAR ISSUES.   JUST HOURS BEFORE MR. ZHU ARRIVED AT THE WHITE 
HOUSE, THE NEW YORK TIMES (NEWSPAPER) REPORTED ALLEGATIONS OF A 
SECOND INCIDENT OF CHINESE ESPIONAGE AT AN AMERICAN NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS LABORATORY.  (SIGNED)

NEB/PW/ENE/GE

08-Apr-99 1:42 PM EDT (1742 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.