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March 2000 China
Special Weapons News

• Chinese President Meets U.S. National Security Adviser Peoples Daily Friday, March 31, 2000 -- Jiang said that the change of leadership in Taiwan does not change the fact that Taiwan is part of the Chinese territory. Whoever is in power in Taiwan is welcome to come to the mainland for talks, Jiang said, adding that "we can also go to Taiwan as well."
• Excerpt: Daley Announces New Commercial Strategy for China 31 March 2000 -- U.S. Secretary of Commerce William Daley has announced a new commercial strategy for China that will help assure that U.S. firms are successful in the new markets that will be opening up in that country.
• President Jiang Zemin Meeting with US National Security Adviser Samuel Berger (March 30, 2000) No matter who is in power in Taiwan, we welcome him to come to the mainland for talks. Meanwhile, we may go to Taiwan, too. However, there must be a basis for dialogue and negotiations, namely, the recognition of the one China principle. Under that precondition, anything can be discussed.
• Text: Senator John Kerry China Speech at Wilson Center 30 March 2000 -- The United States must not pursue a policy of containment against the People's Republic of China, says Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.
• Text: House Democratic Whip Challenges White House on NTR for China 30 March 2000 -- The second ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives says now is not the time to extend permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China.
• CHINA-US Voice of America 30 March 2000 -- National Security Advisor Sandy Berger and Chinese leaders have ended discussions focussing on Sino-U-S differences over Taiwan.
• Transcript: Clinton Comments on U.S.-China Relations 29 March 2000 -- President Clinton called on Congress to grant China permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status "this spring" in a March 29 White House press conference.
• CHINA-EU-WTO Voice of America 29 March 2000 -- European diplomats caution that the talks are still at an early stage and that many obstacles must be removed before there are signs of the progress that both sides hope for.
• CHINA-US Voice of America 29 March 2000 -- U-S National Security Advisor Sandy Berger is in Beijing for talks with top Chinese leaders at a time when Sino/U-S relations are at what Chinese officials describe as a critical juncture.
• China Exercises Close Watch on Chen Shui-bian's "Inauguration" Speech People's Daily 29 March 2000 -- Chen Yunlin, director of Taiwan Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee and Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, reiterated March 28 that close attention will be given to Chen shui-bian's "inauguration" speech on May 20.
• Vice-Premier Qian Qichen meeting with US Presidential National Security Adviser Samuel Berger PRC Foreign Ministry 29 March 2000 -- Vice-Premier Qian reiterated China's principled position on the Taiwan question, emphasizing that the one China principle is the basis and prerequisite for a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question and we ask the new leader of the Taiwan authorities to return to the one China principle at an early date.
• Premier Zhu Rongji Meeting with US Presidential National Security Adviser Samuel Berger PRC Foreign Ministry 29 March 2000 -- Premier Zhu expounded China's principled position on the Taiwan question, emphasizing that no matter who is in power in Taiwan, he should not be up to "Taiwan independence."
• CHINA-EU-WTO Voice of America 28 March 2000 -- China and the European Union have opened a new round of negotiations to secure Beijing's entry into the World Trade Organization.
• Koh Responds to Questions about U.S.-Sponsored China Resolution By Wendy Lubetkin Washington File 28 March 2000 -- The United States believes bringing China to account for its human rights conduct at this year's Commission on Human Rights would send an important signal that there is no double standard at the world's most important human rights forum.
• Profit Beats Prudence on China By William R. Hawkins The Washington Post March 27, 2000; Page A27 - "In the past there were serious problems with the quality of Chinese military aircraft. Chinese aircraft manufacturers' quality control tended to be uneven," says a report on the AVIC by the Federation of American Scientists. But "in the wake of joint ventures with the United States and Europe in the area of civilian aircraft . . . Chinese combat aircraft are now reported to have a much smoother surface than before, suggesting a flow of personnel and expertise from civilian to military production lines."
• CHINA - LEE REACT Voice of America 24 March 2000 -- China has acknowledged the resignation of Lee Teng-hui as the head of Taiwan's Nationalist Party, saying he was forced out by public pressure.
• CONGRESS-CHINA TRADE Voice of America 23 March 2000 -- The U-S Senate is now debating what could be its biggest foreign policy decision of the year -- whether to normalize trade relations with China once and for all.
• Text: Senators Roth/Moynihan Introduce China Trade Bill 23 March 2000 -- Senators William Roth (Republican of Delaware) and Daniel Moynihan (Democrat of New York) introduced March 23 the senate bill (S. 2277) that would give permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China.
• Text: Senator Roth Statement on Implications of U.S.-China Trade 23 March 2000 -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman William V. Roth, Jr. opened a committee hearing on the implications of trade with China for U.S. national interests by announcing that he and another senator had introduced legislation to grant permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for China in anticipation of that country's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• Text: Senate Resolution 271 Calls for Geneva Resolution on China 23 March 2000 -- Senator Paul Wellstone introduced Senate Resolution 271 March 9 with both Republican and Democratic co-sponsors. It aims to forestall a repeat of last year's United Nations Human Rights Commission's (UNHRC) meeting in Geneva, where the People's Republic of China was able to keep a resolution on its human rights abuses off the commission's agenda.
• Text: Senator Tim Hutchinson Condemns China Human Rights Record 23 March 2000 -- Senator Tim Hutchinson announced that he had signed on to Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone's resolution urging the Clinton Administration to strive to get the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva to pass a resolution condemning China's human rights abuses.
• Text: Rep. Nancy Pelosi Says China Mustn't Escape Rights Scrutiny 23 March 2000 -- A long-time Congressional critic of China's human rights abuses says the United States needs to "organize and win" a vote on Beijing's human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva.
• Vice-Premier Qian Qichen Meets Holbrooke, US Permanent Representative to the UN PRC Foreign Ministry 21 March 2000 -- The biggest challenge to those relations is the Taiwan question and how to properly handle the question is of crucial importance for the direction of the development of Sino-US relations.
• Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan Meets Holbrooke, US Permanent Representative to the UN PRC Foreign Ministry 21 March 2000 -- Tang underlined that the Taiwan question is China's internal affairs. An election has been held in the Taiwan region recently and the Chinese mainland will listen to what the new leader in Taiwan says and see how he acts.
• President Jiang Zemin Meeting with Mr. Holbrooke, US permanent representative to the UN PRC Foreign Ministry 21 March 2000 -- The Taiwan regional election of local leaders and its result cannot change the fact that Taiwan is but part of China's territory and the One China principle provides the basis and prerequisite for resolving the Taiwan question peacefully.
• China issues new threats, says U.S. could be forced to abandon Taiwan By Michael Dorgan Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service March 21, 2000 -- "Beijing will certainly talk loudly; they may rattle their rockets," said defense analyst John Pike of the Federation of American Scientists, a Washington-based national security policy center. "But there is no eagerness on their part to get into a conflict with Taiwan that "there's a real good chance they'd lose."
• CHINA - HUMAN RIGHTS Voice of America 21 March 2000 -- China has called on the United States to abandon its plan to criticize Chinese human rights practices at a United Nations meeting in Geneva.
• CHINA - U-S - TAIWAN Voice of America 21 March 2000 -- The United States is urging China and Taiwan to resolve their differences peacefully and resume negotiations. U-S Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke met (throughout the day Tuesday) with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan.
• U-S / HUMAN RIGHTS / CHINA Voice of America 20 March 2000 -- The State Department says the United States has its best chance in years to get the U-N Human Rights Commission to pass a resolution criticizing China.
• E-U / CHINA Voice of America 20 March 2000 -- The European Union has joined the United States in criticizing China's human-rights record, but reserved judgment on whether it will support an American resolution on China at the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
• CHINA - TAIWAN - HOLBROOKE Voice of America 20 March 2000 -- U-S Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke is in Beijing for talks that are likely to include discussion of the Taiwan presidential election.
• FALUN GONG Voice of America 20 March 2000 -- Representatives of the Falun Gong spiritual movement are appealing for U-N pressure against China to stop what the group considers persecution of its followers.
• TAIWAN / CHINA DEMOCRACY REACT Voice of America 20 March 2000 -- China's outlawed Democracy Party has welcomed the results of Taiwan's presidential election, saying it shows the way for democratic reform on the mainland.
• TAIWAN ELECT - CHINA RESPONSE Voice of America 19 March 2000 -- China's reaction to the presidential election results in Taiwan is being seen by many observers as low-key and measured.
• China Issues Statement on Taiwan Election Peoples Daily 19 March 2000 -- The election of a new leader in Taiwan can not change the fact that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory, according to a Chinese government statement issued on March 18 evening.
• CHINA - TAIWAN ELECTION Voice of America 18 March 2000 -- Beijing reacted late Saturday to the election of Chen Shui-bian by saying it will never tolerate independence for Taiwan.
• Anti-China Farce Must Be Stopped Peoples Daily 17 March 2000 -- This commentary advises US Senate to keep the promise made by the US government of not supporting the "independence of Tibet", immediately stop using the "Tibet issue" as a means for intervening in China's internal affairs and immediately halt its endless anti-China farce.
• Computer Code Rule Decoded Peoples Daily 17 March 2000 -- The Chinese Government clarified its electronic encryption regulations Thursday to ease undue anxiety among foreign investors.
• Reunification Timetable in Hands of Taiwan People: Experts Peoples Daily 17 March 2000 -- Noted Beijing-based scholars and experts on the Taiwan issue said on Thursday that the reunification of the motherland should have a timetable, and it's up to the Taiwan people to set it.
• Tang Calls for Joint Efforts to Prevent Taiwan Independence Peoples Daily 17 March 2000 -- Tang Shubei, executive vice president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), said that Taiwan is at a critical juncture and now is the time for Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Straits to work together to stop the island from becoming independent
• U-S CHINA Voice of America 17 March 2000 -- Defense Secretary William Cohen says China does not appear to be getting ready to attack Taiwan, even though officials in Beijing have been making blunt threats to take military action against the island.
• CHINA - WORLD BANK Voice of America 17 March 2000 -- Tibetans in exile have criticized the relocation program, saying it will disrupt the culture and livelihood of the area's indigenous people - mostly Tibetan and Mongolian herders.
• Text: GAO Report on China WTO Bid, Normal Trade Relations Status 17 March 2000 -- The U.S. General Accounting Office issued a report concluding that if Congress did not grant permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to China, "this situation could potentially put U.S. business interests at a considerable competitive disadvantage" when competing with other World Trade Organization (WTO) members for China's markets.
• Text: USTR Barshefsky Speech on U.S.-China Trade Relations 16 March 2000 -- U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky continued her quest to build support for granting permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China.
• Text: House Majority Whip DeLay Speech on U.S. Foreign Policy 16 March 2000 -- "How we handle the emerging empire ruled from Beijing is the leading national security issue of our time," DeLay told his CSIS audience. For the past decade, the Texas Republican said, "China has been engaged in a massive build-up of modern nuclear and conventional forces. Their aim," he claimed, "gaining unmatched military power in the region."
• China Issues Statement on Taiwan Election PRC Foreign Ministry 16 March 2000 -- We should listen to what the new leader in Taiwan says and watch what he does. We will observe where he will lead cross-Straits relations.
• CHINA-US-AMBASSADOR Voice of America 16 March 2000 -- The U-S State Department called in China's Ambassador Thursday to discuss the tense issue of Taiwan. Washington is hoping that Beijing will tone down its militant rhetoric.
• U-S / CHINA Voice of America 16 March 2000 -- U-S Defense Secretary William Cohen calls China's latest threat to use force against Taiwan "counter-productive."
• CHINA - TAIWAN Voice of America 16 March 2000 -- One of China's top policy makers on the Taiwan issue, Tang Shubei, says if Taiwan decides to become independent, China can no longer talk about peaceful reunification.
• Full Text of Premier Zhu's Press Conference Peoples Daily 16 March 2000 -- "As for the formulation that the Taiwan question should not be allowed to drag on indefinitely, Comrade Deng Xiaoping used almost the exact words in the 1980s to state the govern-ment's position on this point. He said that the Taiwan question should not drag on indefinitely, and also suggested that if the Taiwan question should be allowed to drag on indefinitely, how can it be possible that we will not use force? The proposition has been put forward for a long time.... there are always some people in certain countries in the world who are always there standing against China. They always take China as their imaginary and potential enemy. They want to use Taiwan, which in their view is an unsinkable aircraft carrier, to oppose China or to do something against China.... Today, the Chinese people have stood up. So how can it be possible that we will allow Taiwan - which has been a part of China's territory - to be separated from the motherland? Absolutely, we cannot!"
• Chinese Premier Warns Against 'Taiwan Independence' Peoples Daily 16 March 2000 -- Premier Zhu Rongji warned in Beijing Wednesday that China will not tolerate "Taiwan independence" and that the Chinese people are ready to shed blood and sacrifice their lives to defend the unity of their motherland and the dignity of the Chinese nation.
• Chinese Premier's News Conference Peoples Daily 15 March 2000 -- ``No matter who wins Taiwan 'presidential election', he must not pursue Taiwan independence in whatever forms, '' Zhu said, adding ``this is our bottomline, because it's in the will of 1.2 billion Chinese people.'' Premier Zhu said the Taiwan question should not be dragged on indefinitely.
• CHINA - ZHU Voice of America 15 March 2000 -- Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji says Beijing will never tolerate Taiwan's independence and he has warned Taiwan's voters to keep that in mind when they cast ballots for a new president, Saturday.
• CHINA - CONGRESS Voice of America 15 March 2000 -- China's legislature has ended its annual meeting in Beijing, strongly endorsing the work of Premier Zhu Rongji. But many delegates showed their dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the problem of corruption.
• Ways and Means Chair Urges Clinton to Sell Nation on China Trade Deal By Steve La Rocque Washington File 15 March 2000 -- House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer (Republican of Texas) is calling on President Clinton to tell the American people in a nationally televised address why the United States should grant permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China.
• Text: Commerce Secretary Daley Sees Support for China Trade Status 15 March 2000 -- The Clinton Administration's efforts to persuade Congress to grant permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China is getting a bipartisan boost, says Commerce Secretary William Daley.
• Text: Commerce Secretary Daley on China Trade Status 14 March 2000 -- U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley remarked that while he was confident that the Clinton Administration would win congressional support for China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), he nonetheless was bothered by the fact that "the intensity is not there yet -- by any means."
• Text: Commerce Secretary Daley Remarks on China Trade Status 14 March 2000 -- President Clinton's self-described "point man" for getting Congressional approval of permanent Normal Trading Relations (NTR) status for China says it will be the toughest vote the U.S. Congress has faced in many years.
• U-S CHINA - HUMAN RIGHTS Voice of America 14 March 2000 -- China is demanding the United States stop its plan to introduce a resolution criticizing China at the U-N Human Rights Commission in Geneva.
• U-S - CHINA TRADE Voice of America 14 March 2000 -- American companies doing business in China say many of the country's laws and regulations treat them unfairly. U-S businesses find China's legal system unpredictable, undependable and confusing.
• CHINA-TAIWAN: WORRIES MOUNT AS 'UNCERTAINTIES' CONTINUE Issue Focus - Foreign Media Reaction 13 March 2000 -- The PRC's perceived "threats" against Taiwan, coupled with the announcement last week of a 12.7 percent increase in China's defense budget and statements by Chinese officials charging that the U.S. was "responsible" for rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait, led most writers outside China--including some in Hong Kong--to worry about the "uncertainties" governing the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
• U-S / CHINA Voice of America 13 March 2000 -- Six former Secretaries of State have written a letter urging Congress to approve permanent normal trade relations with China.
• Transcript: Defense Secretary Cohen Hong Kong Press Briefing 11 March 2000 -- On Beijing's recent threat to use force against Taiwan if the latter doesn't seem to be negotiating seriously about reunification, Cohen stressed the "absolute" need to resolve the issue peacefully. "I think the overall concern was that if it got out of hand and there was some miscalculation, it would be a very negative consequence flowing from it should there be any military action."
• U.S. Fomented Separatist Forces in Taiwan: Tang People's Daily March 11, 2000 -- What the United States has done toward Taiwan has fomented separatist forces in Taiwan and the United States has unshirkable responsibilities for this, said Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan Friday afternoon.
• COHEN CHINA Voice of America 10 March 2000 -- Defense Secretary William Cohen dismisses charges that Washington is encouraging Taiwan's independence from China.
• CHINA-US-TAIWAN Voice of America 10 March 2000 -- China is blaming the United States for inflaming tensions over Taiwan by selling the island weapons. Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan says China's relations with both the United States and Taiwan are now at what he calls a critical juncture.
• CHINA-CORRUPTION Voice of America 10 March 2000 -- The President of China's Supreme People's Court Xiao Yang says more than 15-thousand-700 people were sentenced last year for corruption-related crimes.
• THE CHINA TRADE DEBATE Voice of America 09 March 2000 -- America's trade relations with China are always a controversial topic on Capitol Hill and more so this year due to recent warnings from Beijing about retaking Taiwan by force, and Beijing's latest crack down on religious and political dissent.
• CHINA-HINTERLAND Voice of America 09 March 2000 -- Chinese government says developing the west is important for national economic growth, poverty eradication and social stability, but it has so far been vague about how it plans to attract the billions of dollars needed to make the project succeed.
• DOCUMENT STATES CHINA PREPARED TO FIGHT US IF IT INTERVENES IN TAIWAN [CNA Taiwan] 09 March 2000 -- Communist China is actively planning a military invasion of Taiwan and is preparing to wage war against the United States -- including using its small force of strategic nuclear missiles, if Washington attempts to defend Taiwan.
• Spokesperson on the reported U.S. arms sale to Taiwan March 9, 2000 -- The US side keeps on violating its commitments by selling sophisticated weaponry to Taiwan massively and persistently.
• CHINA - US TRADE Voice of America 09 March 2000 -- China has welcomed President Clinton's announcement asking Congress to approve permanent favorable trade privileges for Beijing.
• TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: March 8, 2000 -- I, therefore, with this letter transmit to the Congress legislation authorizing the President to terminate application of Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 to the People's Republic of China and extend permanent Normal Trade Relations treatment to products from China.
• REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON CHINA March 8, 2000 -- We have a far greater chance of having a positive influence on China's actions if we welcome China into the world community, instead of shutting it out. By lowering the barriers that protect state-owned industries, China is speeding the process that is removing government from vast areas of people's lives.
• CLINTON - CHINA - WTO Voice of America 08 March 2000 -- The measure to extend permanent normal trade ties to China faces significant opposition from House Democrats, who - backed by their labor union allies - believe greater trade with China would erode labor and environmental standards.
• CLINTON-CHINA-WTO Voice of America 08 March 2000 -- The issue of permanent normal trade relations with China - or P-N-T-R - has created an unusual set of allies in Washington.
• CLINTON - CHINA - WTO Voice of America 08 March 2000 -- President Clinton will send Congress legislation granting China permanent normal trade relations and will use a Washington speech Wednesday to urge lawmakers to approve the measure soon.
• CHINA-HUMAN RIGHTS Voice of America 08 March 2000 -- Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Harold Koh, testified that China's human rights record deteriorated sharply in 1999.
• No Significant Growth in China's Defense Expenditures: Spokesman People's Daily Wednesday, March 08, 2000 -- China's defense expenditures will not increase significantly if no incidents that seriously threaten national sovereignty or security take place.
• CHINA CORRUPTION Voice of America 08 March 2000 -- China has executed a top official who was convicted of taking bribes, in a sign that the government intends to crack down on graft.
• Text: Deputy USTR Fisher on Permanent NTR for China 08 March 2000 -- The United States as a whole, and the New England states in particular, will benefit from granting China permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status and supporting that country's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to Deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Richard Fisher.
• Text: Pacific Forces Commander on Asia-Pacific Security 07 March 2000 -- While both China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Taiwan's military forces improved their capabilities in the last year, the two sides "did not significantly alter the balance of power across the Taiwan Strait," Blair said. Taiwan's military, he said, "maintains a qualitative edge over the PLA, and its combat capabilities should improve steadily over time as it incorporates new weapons into its war fighting doctrine and training."
• Spokesperson on the reported U.S. selling of destroyers with "Aegis"system and "Patriot III"anti-missile system to Taiwan 07 March 2000 -- The Chinese Government and people are firmly opposed to the US arms sales to Taiwan and the US provision to Taiwan with any TMD system and the relevant technologies, equipment and supporting system
• CHINA / TAIWAN / U-S Voice of America 07 March 2000 -- Beijing's barrage of belligerent rhetoric continued Tuesday with the military's own newspaper quoting a leading general as saying Western enemies intend to subjugate and divide China.
• BLAIR CHINA Voice of America 07 March 2000 -- The Admiral who commands all U-S military forces in the Pacific says China lacks the military means to successfully invade Taiwan.
• CHINA ECON - PROTESTS Voice of America 07 March 2000 -- Top Chinese officials have acknowledged the government is concerned about labor unrest, as it proceeds with economic reforms and workers are laid off.
• Zhu's softer line dismissed by analysts March 6, 2000 Source: News reports Mainland Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said yesterday that Beijing would not "sit idly by" and allow Taiwan to move toward independence, but rather than repeating mainland President Jiang Zemin's recent threat of drastic measures against the island, Zhu stressed the need for continued dialogue and exchanges with the island.
• CHINA / TAIWAN / MILITARY Voice of America 06 March 2000 -- Top U-S intelligence officials say there is "high potential" for another military flare-up between China and Taiwan as Taiwan's elections (on March 18th) draw closer.
• CHINA / TAIWAN Voice of America 06 March 2000 -- China's Army newspaper has stepped up the level of Beijing's saber rattling against Taiwan -- pledging in a front-page editorial it stands ready to smash any move by the island toward formal independence.
• ASIA/MILITARY SPENDING Voice of America 06 March 2000 -- Beijing announced Monday that China would increase military spending by nearly 13-percent. This marks the 11th year in a row in which China has announced double-digit defense spending increases.
• 'Taiwan Independence' Means War: Army Paper People's Daily Monday, March 06, 2000 -- The people's armed forces will carry out the sacred mission of safeguarding the motherland unification. Following the return to the motherland of Hong Kong and Macao, the great cause of promoting the peaceful reunification of the motherland has entered a new historic stage.
• China Not to Tolerate Separatist Activity People's Daily 05 March 2000 -- Premier Zhu Rongji said the Chinese people are determined and absolutely capable to bring the Taiwan question to an early settlement and realize the great cause of reunification of the motherland.
• CHINA CONGRESS Voice of America 05 March 2000 -- Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji refrained from repeating Beijing's threat to use force against Taiwan if the island continues to drag its feet on discussing reunification with China. But he made clear that China will not remain indifferent to any activity on the island that Beijing may view as undermining its claims to sovereignty over Taiwan.
• CHINA PARLIAMENT Voice of America 04 March 2000 -- China's National People's Congress -- the country's legislature -- opens its annual plenary session Sunday, during which it will discuss the government's budget and economic development plans.
• No Change in Policy on Taiwan: Ambassador Li People's Daily 04 March 2000 -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Li Zhaoxing said Thursday it is not right to say that the Chinese government has changed its policy on Taiwan. Li said that in an important speech on Tuesday, Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen denied the foreign press allegations that China's policy on Taiwan has been changed.
• Jiang Zemin Calls for Joint Reunification Efforts Across Straits People's Daily 04 March 2000 -- President Jiang Zemin said, "we will definitely not commit to abandoning the use of force." the Chinese government will have to adopt all possible, determined measures to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, provided major incidents causing Taiwan to separate from China occurred under any premise, provided Taiwan is invaded and occupied by any foreign power, or provided Taiwan Authorities postpones indefinitely the peacefully settlement of reunification issue by negotiations.
• CHINA'S THREAT AGAINST TAIWAN MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY: EXPERTS CNA-Taiwan 03 March 2000 -- "The Chinese strategic elite -- senior military officers and strategic thinkers -- are all saying that China must conquer and control Taiwan soon if it is to achieve its longer term strategic goal of dominating East Asia, like all the great Chinese dynasties did," said Ross Munro, director of Asian studies at the Center for Security Studies in Washington
• China Ends History of Having No Land Resource Satellites People's Daily 03 March 2000 -- The Sino-Brazilian Earth Resource Satellite 01 Hand-Over Ceremony was held in Beijing March 2 by the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, at which the satellite was turned over by the China Space Science and Technology Group Company.
• Russia, China Emphasize Strategic Partnership People's Daily 02 March 2000 -- In the current international situation, the strengthened cooperation between China and Russia not only conforms to the fundamental interests of the two nations, it is also of great significance to the progress of a multi-polar world and the establishment of a just and reasonable new world order, said Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
• CHINA / HUMAN RIGHTS Voice of America 02 March 2000 -- The United Nations' top official for human rights is in Beijing and is urging China to accept U-N help in bringing its human rights laws up to international standards.
• CHINA DEBATE Voice of America 02 March 2000 -- While the measure appears to be assured passage in the Senate, its chances are less promising in the House. Organized labor, a key Democratic constituency, opposes the agreement and so too do a majority of House Democrats.
• CHINA / U-S / W-T-O Voice of America 02 March 2000 -- Top trade union leaders in the United States have urged Congress to defeat legislation that would pave the way for China's entry to the World Trade Organization.
• CHINA, TAIWAN AND THE U-S Voice of America 02 March 2000 -- Ross Munro, director of Asian studies at the Center for Security Studies in Washington, says it is troubling that the Chinese leadership seems to think if it attacks Taiwan, the United States will not intervene. That, he emphasizes, is a dangerous and mistaken assumption.
• MAINLAND CHINA CANNOT TAKE TAIWAN MILITARILY: CIA CHIEF CNA-Taiwan 03 March 2000 -- CIA Director George J. Tenet was quoted by the Sing Tao Daily as saying that "China does not have the military air and sea capability required to put troops on the ground for an invasion of Taiwan," and that "if you are going to take an island, you have to be able to sustain an invasion and we don't think they can do that."
• CROSS-STRAIT CONFLICT WILL HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES: US OFFICIAL CNA-Taiwan 02 March 2000 -- Former US ambassador to mainland China James Lilley said that he does not think Beijing will invade Taiwan within the next five years, but added that he cannot rule out the possibility.
• PRC unlikely to up threats ahead of poll The China Post 02 March 2000 -- It seems unlikely the communist government will take any hostile military action in the run up to the March 18 presidential election. What the PRC may now want to do is just quietly wait for the outcome of the coming presidential election and the arrival of May 20 when the new president assumes office.
• CLINTON-CHINA Voice of America 01 March 2000 -- President Clinton says that expanding internet access in China will be good for American high-tech industries and will "inevitably" contribute to political liberalization there.
• CHINA-US-TAIWAN Voice of America 01 March 2000 -- The commander of U-S forces in the Pacific, Admiral Dennis Blair, has told Chinese military leaders he is concerned about Beijing's renewed threats against Taiwan and urged them to show patience toward the island.
• CHINA-HUMAN RIGHTS Voice of America 01 March 2000 -- Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen, told the workshop that China will not adopt foreign models of democracy and asked fellow Asians not to give into western pressure.
• CHINA-TIBET Voice of America 01 March 2000 -- says Chinese authorities have detained the parents of the Karmapa Lama - the high-ranking Tibetan Buddhist leader who fled to India in January.
• BEIJING NOT TO LOB MISSILE, BUT WILL GO ON HEIGHTENED ALERT: REPORT March 1 (CNA) Beijing will not lob missiles into waters near Taiwan in the run-up to the island's March 18 presidential election, but its military will go on heightened alert to cope with any possible developments, a Japanese paper reported on Wednesday. China will not repeat its 1996 practice of test-firing missiles at Taiwan's doorstep ahead of the island's upcoming election.
• CHINESE THREATS AGAINST TAIWAN RESULT OF CLINTON POLICY: US EXPERT March 1 (CNA) The latest Communist Chinese rhetorical assault on Taiwan is the inevitable result of the Clinton administration's policy mistakes, and the United States should help enhance Taiwan's security and stop using Beijing's "one China" slogan.
• LATEST THREATS AGAINST TAIWAN SAID RESULT OF SPLITS IN BEIJING March 1 (CNA) The only rational explanation for Beijing issuing the latest threat against Taiwan is that a split in the Communist Chinese leadership is rapidly widening, and this severe internal stress may lead to a military attack on Taiwan.
• United States Relations with the People's Republic of China Congressional Policy Advisory Board March 1, 2000 -- PRC's actions, together with the Administration's failure adequately to address them, render it particularly urgent that the Senate promptly approve the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act recently passed by the House.
• 'One-China' and international law, United Daily News, 01 March 2000 -- Commentary by Hungdah Chiu, member of the ROC's National Unification Council and president of the International Law Association, on the White Paper "The One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue" publ;ished by the Taiwan Affairs Office and the Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China.

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