DATE=5/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249861
TITLE=CHINA / U-S (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  CHINA HAS SHRUGGED OFF CALLS BY TOP U-S LEGISLATORS TO 
FREEZE NEGOTIATIONS ON BEIJING'S ENTRY INTO THE WORLD TRADE 
ORGANIZATION.  OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL  NOT  SACRIFICE CHINA'S 
INTERESTS IN ORDER TO JOIN THE GROUP.  V-O-A  CORRESPONDENT ROGER
WILKISON REPORTS, CHINA IS ALSO STEPPING UP ITS ATTACKS  ON A U-S
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT THAT SAYS BEIJING STOLE U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS 
TECHNOLOGY.

TEXT:  CHINA SEEMS TO HAVE HARDENED ITS STANCE ON W-T-O 
MEMBERSHIP.  THE STANCE COMES JUST WEEKS AFTER PREMIER ZHU RONGJI
OFFERED CONCESSIONS TO WASHINGTON, IN A BID TO JOIN THE WORLD 
TRADE BODY BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.   CHINA APPEARS TO HAVE 
BACKED AWAY FROM ITS OFFER, FOLLOWING NATO'S BOMBING OF THE 
CHINESE EMBASSY IN YUGOSLAVIA EARLIER THIS MONTH.  ADDING FUEL TO
CHINA'S FURY OVER THE BOMBING, FOR WHICH WASHINGTON APOLOGIZED, 
IS A REPORT ISSUED THIS WEEK BY A SPECIAL U-S CONGRESSIONAL 
COMMITTEE, ACCUSING CHINA OF PILFERING U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS OVER 
THE PAST 20 YEARS.

CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO --SPEAKING 
THURSDAY THROUGH  AN INTERPRETER-- DISMISSED SUGGESTIONS BY THE 
CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE AND  SENATE COMMITTEES OVERSEEING FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS, THAT MR. CLINTON PUT W-T-O  NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA ON 
HOLD.  MR. ZHU SAYS HIS COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE  TO DEVELOP WHETHER
OR NOT IT IS PART OF W-T-O, AND HE INSISTS IT WILL ONLY  JOIN THE
GROUP ON THE TERMS GRANTED A DEVELOPING COUNTRY.  MEMBERSHIP 
UNDER THOSE TERMS WOULD ALLOW CHINA MORE TIME TO LOWER TRADE 
BARRIERS.

            //INTERPRETER ACTUALITY//

 AS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY, CHINA CAN ONLY UNDERTAKE OBLIGATIONS 
THAT ARE IN  LINE WITH ITS OWN CAPABILITIES AT PRESENT.  CHINA'S 
ENTRY INTO W-T-O IS  NOT ONLY IN THE INTEREST OF CHINA.  WITHOUT 
CHINA, THE W-T-O WILL NOT BE  COMPLETE.  AND CHINA'S ENTRY IS 
ALSO IN THE INTEREST OF W-T-O ITSELF AND  WORLD TRADE.  THAT IS 
WHY CHINA WILL NOT SACRIFICE ITS FUNDAMENTAL INTEREST TO JOIN 
W-T-O

              //END ACTUALITY//

MR. ZHU AGAIN BLASTED THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE HEADED BY 
REPUBLICAN  REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTOPHER COX, THAT ACCUSED BEIJING 
OF SPYING ON U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABORATORIES.  CHINA SAYS THE 
CHARGES ARE GROUNDLESS.

           //INTERPRETER ACTUALITY//

 COX AND HIS LIKE DO NOT REFRAIN FROM TAKING ALL KINDS OF 
DESPICABLE MEANS AND EVEN GO TO EXTREMES TO CREATE RUMORS AND TO 
CONFUSE THE PUBLIC AND TO WHIP UP ANTI-CHINA SENTIMENT AND TO 
SPREAD THE CHINA THREAT THEORY.  CHINA HAS NEVER STOLEN ANY 
NUCLEAR SECRETS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED 
STATES.  

             //END ACTUALITY//

AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER --THE CHINA YOUTH DAILY-- SUGGESTS THE 
ALLEGATIONS  CONTAINED IN THE COX REPORT ARE PART OF AN EFFORT BY
U-S INTELLIGENCE AND  DEFENSE INDUSTRIES TO PORTRAY CHINA AS A 
THREAT, SO AS TO INCREASE THEIR  BUDGETS.  ANOTHER NEWSPAPER 
--THE CHINA DAILY--FRETTED THURSDAY THAT THE  CONGRESSIONAL 
REPORT WILL TARNISH CHINA'S IMAGE AS A COUNTRY DESERVING SYMPATHY
BECAUSE OF THE EMBASSY BOMBING.  (SIGNED)

NEB/RW/GC/FC

27-May-99 7:12 AM EDT (1112 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.