DATE=4/10/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247872
TITLE=U-S/CHINA / ZHU SPEECH (L)CQ
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI CONTINUES HIS U-S TOUR WITH A 
VISIT TO DENVER, COLORADO, SATURDAY.  AT HIS LAST EVENT IN 
WASHINGTON FRIDAY EVENING, PREMIER ZHU MADE A BANQUET SPEECH AND 
CAST DOUBT ON WHETHER CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES CAN REACH A 
TRADE DEAL THAT WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR CHINA'S ENTRY INTO THE 
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION.  CORRESPONDENT STEPHANIE MANN REPORTS. 

TEXT:  PREMIER ZHU RONGJI SAYS NEW COMPLICATIONS HAVE ARISEN IN 
THE LATEST TRADE NEGOTIATIONS.  HE SAYS CHINA HAS MADE MAJOR 
CONCESSIONS, BUT THE U-S SIDE STILL WANTS MORE BEFORE IT WILL 
AGREE TO LET CHINA JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION.  

AFTER PRESIDENT CLINTON AND PREMIER ZHU MET AT THE WHITE HOUSE 
THURSDAY, U-S OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THE TWO SIDES MADE SIGNIFICANT 
PROGRESS ON TRADE ISSUES, ADDING THEY EXPECT TO CLEAR UP THE REST
BEFORE THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION MEETING IN SEATTLE IN 
NOVEMBER.  

HOWEVER, IN HIS SPEECH FRIDAY, PREMIER ZHU INDICATED THE U-S 
ANNOUNCEMENT WAS PREMATURE.  MR. ZHU POINTED TO CHINA'S DECISION 
TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORTS OF U-S WHEAT, CITRUS PRODUCTS AND
BEEF, SAYING CHINA IS READY TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON THESE ITEMS. 
CHINA ALSO AGREED TO CUT TARIFFS ON SOME U-S GOODS AND ALLOW U-S 
TELECOMMUNCATIONS COMPANIES SIGNIFICANT HOLDINGS IN CHINESE PHONE
COMPANIES. 

HOWEVER, PREMIER ZHU, SPEAKING THROUGH A TRANSLATOR AND WITHOUT 
ANY NOTES OR TEXT, SAID FURTHER CONCESSIONS WOULD HAVE TO WAIT. 

                   // ZHU / TRANSLATOR ACT //

         I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON 
         MARKET ACCESS.  BUT THE AMERICAN SIDE WANTS STILL MORE. 
         FOR INSTANCE, THEY WANT US TO PERMIT A GREATER 
         INVESTMENT RATIO AND FOR US TO LOWER OUR CUSTOMS 
         TARIFFS.  AND I SAID THESE ARE ALL POSSIBLE, BUT IN A 
         FEW YEARS' TIME. 

                         // END ACT // 

MR. ZHU WARNED THAT IF THE UNITED STATES DEMANDED TOO MUCH TOO 
SOON, THE WHOLE PACKAGE MAY BE IN JEOPARDY.  IN HIS WORDS -- IN 
THE END, YOU MAY END UP WITH NOTHING. 

// OPT // MR. ZHU ARRIVED LATE AT THE BANQUET, SAYING HE LEFT THE
TOP NEGOTIATORS FOR BOTH SIDES STILL ARGUING OVER THE 
DIFFERENCES.  PRESIDENT CLINTON'S TOP CHINA ADVISOR, KENNETH 
LIEBERTHAL, AND CHINESE STATE COUNCILLOR WU YI WERE EXPECTED TO 
ATTEND THE DINNER, BUT NEITHER DID, AND THEY WERE BELIEVED TO BE 
CONTINUING THE NEGOTIATIONS. // END OPT // 

THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN UNDER PRESSURE FROM U-S LABOR
UNIONS AND THE TEXTILE AND STEEL INDUSTRIES TO SEEK MORE CHINESE 
CONCESSIONS.  U-S OFFICIALS ARE REPORTED AS SAYING THEY NEED THE 
EXTRA CONCESSIONS IN ORDER TO WIN CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF THE 
WHOLE DEAL.  

PREMIER ZHU SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE IN 
WASHINGTON MAY NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO CONGRESS SUPPORTING A FULL 
TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA.  BUT HE SAYS HE MET FRIDAY MORNING 
WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEY LED HIM TO BELIEVE THAT
CONGRESS WOULD APPROVE THE PARTIAL DEAL AS IT STANDS NOW. 

THE BANQUET WAS SPONSORED BY SEVEN AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE 
MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED IN PROMOTING BETTER TIES WITH CHINA.  THE 
DINNER GUESTS GAVE MR. ZHU AN EXTENDED ROUND OF APPLAUSE WHEN HE 
ASKED FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN MAKING THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS 
SUCCESSFUL.   

PREMIER ZHU WAS ASKED ABOUT THE FEAR HELD BY SOME AMERICANS THAT 
AS CHINA GROWS STRONGER IT COULD POSE A THREAT TO THE UNITED 
STATES.  MR. ZHU DISMISSED SUCH CONCERNS, POINTING TO THE U-S 
LEAD IN NUCLEAR WEAPONRY.  

// OPT // HE NOTED PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID AT THURSDAY'S NEWS 
CONFERENCE THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS SIX-THOUSAND NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS COMPARED TO 20 OR 30 IN CHINA.  MR. ZHU SAID HE'S NOT 
SURE HOW MR. CLINTON KNOWS THE NUMBER OF CHINESE WEAPONS -- 
DRAWING LAUGHTER FROM THE AUDIENCE WITH HIS INDIRECT REFERENCE TO
THE CONTROVERSY OVER ALLEGED CHINESE SPYING AT U-S NUCLEAR 
LABORATORIES. 

             // OPT  // ZHU - TRANSLATOR ACT TWO // 

         BUT I DO AGREE WITH HIS POINT THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS
         LOTS OF THEM AND CHINA HAS VERY FEW OF THEM, AND 
         THEREFORE THERE IS NO WAY THAT CHINA COULD POSE A THREAT
         TO THE U-S. 

                    // END ACT // END OPT //

PREMIER ZHU SAID AMERICANS SHOULD SEE CHINA AS THEIR BIGGEST 
MARKET, NOT THEIR BIGGEST THREAT. 

                       // REST OPTIONAL //

OUTSIDE THE HOTEL WHERE THE DINNER WAS HELD, ABOUT 50 PROTESTERS 
WAVED SIGNS CALLING FOR "FREE TIBET, NOT FREE TRADE" AND CHANTED 
SLOGANS AGAINST THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. 

          // CHANTING ACT  - ESTABLISH, FADE UNDER // 

         FREE TIBET NOW...  FREE TIBET NOW... STOP THE KILLINGS 
         IN TIBET. ... CHINA OUT OF TIBET .... SHAME SHAME 
         CHINA...

                          // END ACT //

GROUPS OF PROTESTERS HAVE APPEARED AT EACH OF MR. ZHU'S PUBLIC 
EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.  HIS TRIP BEGAN IN LOS ANGELES LAST 
TUESDAY AND CONTINUES WITH VISITS TO DENVER (COLORADO), CHICAGO, 
NEW YORK CITY AND BOSTON (MASSACHUSETTS.) (SIGNED)

NEB/SMN/PLM

10-Apr-99 4:05 AM EDT (0805 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.