DATE=3/30/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-US (L)
NUMBER=2-260766
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  National Security Advisor Sandy Berger and 
Chinese leaders have ended discussions focussing on 
Sino-U-S differences over Taiwan.  Correspondent Roger 
Wilkison reports human rights, and White House efforts 
to get congressional approval for permanent normal 
trading status for China were also discussed during 
the two-day talks in Beijing.

TEXT:  Mr. Berger met separately with Chinese 
President Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji and other 
top officials. 

Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi - speaking through 
an interpreter- said the two sides covered many 
topics.

            /// INTERPRETER ACT ///

      Both sides exchanged views on China-U-S 
      relations, the question of Taiwan, China's 
      accession to the W-T-O, the P-N-T-R (permanent 
      normal trading status), non-proliferation and 
      other regional and international issues of 
      common interest.

            /// END ACT ///

Mr. Sun did not mention human rights.  Beijing is 
furious with Washington for its plan to censure China 
at a U-N Human Rights meeting in Geneva.

Another issue discussed is whether Congress will give 
Beijing permanent normal trading relations status, P-
N-T-R.

            /// INTERPRETER ACT ///

      Mr. Berger expressed, introduced, to the Chinese 
      side the efforts made by the U-S executive 
      branch pushing for the adoption of P-N-T-R in 
      Congress.

            /// END ACT ///

But the main focus was on Taiwan.  Spokesman Sun 
reiterated Beijing's concerns about U-S support for 
the island, especially its sales of sophisticated 
weapons to Taipei, which Chinese diplomats say should 
stop immediately.

            /// INTERPRETER ACT ///

      The Chinese side.urged the U-S side to see how 
      important and sensitive the question of Taiwan 
      is at this stage.

            /// END ACT ///

China wants the United States to adhere to agreements 
to gradually reduce and eventually halt such sales.  
But Washington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with 
defensive weapons.  A senior U-S official told 
reporters Sino-U-S agreements specify that regional 
tensions can be a determining factor in weapons 
deliveries to the island.

China caused alarm by threatening an attack on Taiwan 
if it chose a pro-independence candidate in its March 
18th presidential election.  Defying Beijing, Taiwanese 
voters chose Chen Shui-bian, whose party supports 
independence - but who personally has backed away from 
that position.  

China has taken a wait-and-see attitude toward the new 
leader, and the senior U-S official says Mr. Berger 
believes both sides have acted prudently and made 
positive gestures.

The U-S official says Mr. Berger reiterated 
Washington's adherence to the one-China policy, with 
its implication that Taiwan is part of China.  But he 
also stressed the importance Washington attaches to a 
peaceful resolution of the conflict.   (SIGNED)

NEB/RW/RAE



30-Mar-2000 09:25 AM EDT (30-Mar-2000 1425 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.