DATE=05/27/99
      TYPE=WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP
    NUMBER=6-11311
     TITLE=U-S - CHINA SPYING         
    BYLINE=GARY EDQUIST
 TELEPHONE=619-2702
  DATELINE=WASHINGTON
    EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS

CONTENT=

INTRO:  NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE WORLD ARE COMMENTING ABOUT THE 
FINDINGS OF A 700-PAGE REPORT FROM THE U-S CONGRESS ABOUT 
ALLEGATIONS THAT CHINA STOLE U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS.  WE HAVE SOME 
OF THE EDITORIAL COMMENT NOW FROM ____________ IN TODAY'S WORLD 
OPINION ROUNDUP.

TEXT:  THE REPORT SAYS CHINA STOLE THE COUNTRY'S MOST SENSITIVE 
NUCLEAR WEAPONS DESIGNS BEGINNING IN THE 1970S.  BEIJING HAS 
DENIED THE CHARGES.  MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS HE WILL 
IMPLEMENT NEARLY 30 RECOMMENDATIONS TO SAFEGUARD U-S NUCLEAR 
SECRETS.  FROM CHINA. THERE IS THIS COMMENT IN THE 
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PEOPLES DAILY IN BEIJING.

VOICE:   BY FABRICATING STORIES ABOUT CHINA'S NUCLEAR ESPIONAGE 
         AND POLITICAL DONATIONS, THE UNITED STATES IS FOSTERING 
         AN ANTI-CHINA ATTITUDE AND A CHINA THREAT THEORY, AND 
         DIVERTING PEOPLE'S ATTENTION FROM THE (MAY 7 U-S) 
         BOMBING OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BELGRADE.

TEXT:  IN HONG KONG, THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST WRITES THAT 
BEIJING'S CLAIM THAT IT NEVER STOLE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION CAN BE
DISMISSED, AND GOES ON TO WRITE:

VOICE:   WHAT IS LESS CLEAR IS EXACTLY HOW IMPORTANT THESE 
         REVELATIONS MAY PROVE.  BUT THEY CERTAINLY WILL FURTHER 
         DEGRADE THE ALREADY RATHER GRIM RELATIONS BETWEEN 
         BEIJING AND WASHINGTON, AT LEAST THROUGH THE AMERICAN 
         (PRESIDENTIAL) ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

TEXT:  THE ASAHI IN JAPAN CONCLUDES THAT THE REPORT MAY HURT U-S 
- CHINESE RELATIONS.

VOICE:  ... IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT CONGRESS WILL INTENSIFY ITS
CRITICISM OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S CHINA POLICY, WHILE BECOMING 
INCREASINGLY WARY OF CHINA'S MODERNIZATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND
MISSILES. ...  IF THE CHINESE ESPIONAGE CASE BECOMES A SERIOUS 
POLITICAL ISSUE IN THE (U-S) PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ... IT WILL 
DEAL A SERIOUS BLOW TO (THE ADMINISTRATION'S) EFFORTS TO BETTER 
THE SINO-AMERICAN RELATIONSHIP.... AFTER THE MISTAKEN NATO 
BOMBING OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BELGRADE.

TEXT:  THE FINANCIAL TIMES IN BRITAIN WRITES THAT THE CLINTON 
ADMINISTRATION CANNOT ESCAPE ITS SHARE OF THE BLAME FOR THE THEFT
OF NUCLEAR SECRETS.

VOICE:   THE ADMINISTRATION'S SLOWNESS IN REACTING TO SECURITY 
         FAILURES MADE IT AN EASY TARGET FOR CHINA'S AMBITIOUS 
         SPIES.  THESE FAILINGS ARE JUST THE LATEST SYMPTOMS OF A
         DEEP MUDDLE OVER THE DIRECTION OF U-S POLICY TOWARDS 
         CHINA. /// OPT /// ... WASHINGTON NEEDS TO BE CLEAR IN 
         ITS RESPONSE.  IT SHOULD DRIVE UP THE COST TO CHINA OF 
         FUTURE MISBEHAVIOR, WHILE ALSO ENGAGING IT ON THE 
         ECONOMIC FRONT.  THAT MEANS BEING CONSISTENTLY TOUGH ON 
         SECURITY AND POSITIVE ON TRADE. /// END OPT ///

TEXT:  ALSO IN BRITAIN, THE INDEPENDENT IS WRITING:

VOICE:   IT IS DISQUIETING TO FIND OUT HOW THOROUGHLY CHINESE 
         SPIES HAVE PENETRATED AMERICA'S NUCLEAR RESEARCH 
         LABORATORIES.... NOT ONLY DOES THIS EXPOSE AN ALMOST 
         INCONCEIVABLY SLOPPY ATTITUDE TO THE PROTECTION OF SUCH 
         IMPORTANT INFORMATION, BUT THE ATTEMPTS OF THE CLINTON 
         ADMINISTRATION TO AVOID ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS 
         DEBACLE ALSO SHOW HOW DIFFICULT THE WEST NOW FINDS IT TO
         DEAL WITH AN ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY RESURGENT 
         CHINA. /// OPT /// ... AMERICA SHOULD FACE UP TO CHINA 
         BY REAFFIRMING ITS SUPPORT FOR EAST ASIAN SECURITY.  
         AMERICAN WILL GAIN GREATER ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND MORE 
         IMPROVEMENTS TO HUMAN RIGHTS BY STANDING UPRIGHT RATHER 
         THAN KOWTOWING BEFORE CHINA.  WITH CHINA, THE UNITED 
         STATES MUST BE FAIR BUT FIRM IF THE PACIFIC CENTURY IS 
         NOT TO BEGIN WITH A COLD SNAP. /// END OPT ///

                           /// OPT ///

TEXT:  IN GERMANY, THE FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE WRITES THAT THERE 
IS A POLITICAL SIDE TO THE VERBAL ATTACKS ON CHINA.

VOICE:   THIS ESPIONAGE AFFAIR HAS, NEVERTHELESS, BEEN USED FOR A
         POLITICAL ATTACK AGAINST CHINA AND THE CHINA POLICY OF 
         THE U-S PRESIDENT.  IT IS ANOTHER FACET TO THE CHINA 
         THREAT IMAGE, WHICH MAINLY REPUBLICAN CIRCLES ARE TRYING
         TO PAINT.

                         /// END OPT ///

TEXT:  A COMMENT IN GERMANY'S FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU WARNS OF WHAT
IT CALLS A "NEW POLITICAL ICE AGE" BETWEEN BEIJING AND 
WASHINGTON.

VOICE:   (PRESIDENT) CLINTON CAN NOW ABANDON HIS HOPES FOR 
         CROWNING HIS 'STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP' WITH CHINA THIS 
         YEAR WITH THE ACCEPTANCE OF CHINA IN THE W-T-O (WORLD 
         TRADE ORGANIZATION.  HE SHOULD BE HAPPY IF CONGRESS, 
         WHERE THE HAWKS DOMINATE, EVEN RENEW THE M-F-N (MOST 
         FAVORED NATION TRADE STATUS FOR) CHINA.  ...IT IS NOT 
         VERY REASSURING FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD TO SEE THAT 
         THE UNITED STATES AND THE EMERGING MAJOR POWER OF CHINA 
         ARE INCREASINGLY ENTERING INTO A CONFRONTATION.

TEXT:  WITH THAT, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT ON THE 
WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP.

NEB/GE/KL

27-May-99 10:03 AM EDT (1403 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.