DATE=1/21/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUNDER
TITLE=U-S / CHINA / MILITARY
NUMBER=5-45292
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  Washington and Beijing are taking steps to 
mend relations badly strained by the accidental U-S 
attack on a Chinese embassy during the Kosovo crisis.  
One sign of the effort is next week's visit to 
Washington by a top Chinese general.  V-O-A's Jim 
Randle reports from the Pentagon.


TEXT:  Lieutenant General Xiong Guangkai (prono: shung  
guan-kai) is the deputy chief of the Chinese General 
Staff and the military representative of Chinese 
President Jiang Zemin. 

Pentagon spokesman Ken bacon says the General will 
meet with top pentagon officials, including Defense 
Secretary William Cohen as well as members of Congress 
and various U-S experts on China.  

Mr. Bacon calls the visit (1-24 to 1-26) an effort to 
rebuild the once-extensive contacts between the U-S 
and Chinese militaries.  

            /// Bacon act  ///

      So discussions will cover a wide range of areas. 
      He will -- we will talk about our -- compare our 
      strategic assessments of the 21st century. We 
      will talk about the geopolitical conditions in 
      the Asia Pacific. We will talk about our 
      military modernization programs in the two 
      countries.


            /// end act ///

China severed almost all such military to military 
ties when U-S precision-guided bombs wrecked the 
Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, killing three people, and 
injuring many more.

Washington apologized for the attack several times, 
calling it an accident.  The United States paid 
millions of dollars to compensate families of the dead 
and to replace the building.

The renewed talks come as China says it will allow 
major U-S warships to once again visit Hong Kong.  U-S 
officials say a top American military commander and 
the Defense Secretary may visit Beijing in the next 
few months.

/// OPT /// American University Professor Zhao (prono: 
chuan-shen  Jaow), an expert on China, says officials 
in Beijing may be putting aside their anger over the 
embassy bombing because they understand good relations 
with Washington are a key to stability and prosperity 
in Asia.

Military experts say China's military is no match for 
U-S power and technology -- at the moment.  But  
Professor Quansheng says that could change as Beijing 
gradually modernizes its forces.

            /// Quansheng Zhao act   ///

      It is not likely in the near future China will 
      become a challenger. However, in the long run, 
      as a general trend indicated, that may be 
      happening in the future.


            ///  end act /// 

Rochester Institute of Technology History Professor 
Richard Chu says the size and power of the United 
States and China make it vital that they find a way to 
overcome frictions between them. 

            ///  Richard Chu act  ///

      It (China) could be both (either) a friendly 
      nation or a potential adversary.  And 
      particularly over the Taiwan issue.  So I think 
      our national interest is to know each other, to 
      know their intentions and to explain to them our 
      intentions.


            ///  end act --- END OPT -- /// 

The relationship between China and the United States 
may face another test as Taiwan holds elections in 
March.

Beijing regards the prosperous island as an integral  
part of China, and has threatened military action if 
Taiwan declares its independence.  During the last 
election four years ago, heated campaign rhetoric on 
Taiwan, and Chinese efforts to use a show of force to 
frighten Taiwan's voters away from an independent 
stance brought severe tensions to the area.

China's military `tested' missiles in waters close to 
Taiwan and groups of major American warships steamed 
toward the island. 

A U-S official who watches Chinese issues closely says 
the level of tension, as measured by angry rhetoric in 
the Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong press, seems to 
be growing. (Signed)


NEB/PT



21-Jan-2000 19:09 PM EDT (22-Jan-2000 0009 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.