> To China, its policies of the past decades has gradually led to > the US > treatment of China as a weak nation with no consequence. US > judgment > that the growing Chinese trade surplus with the US entitles the > US to > bully China is deeply resented by China. The China leadership > cannot > afford to allow the US to downgrade its hard earned status as a > legitimate major power, and cannot afford to appear to the > Chinese > people as betraying the interest of the nation, regardless of > sophisticated logic of realpolitik and economic considerations. > This undeniable development will tilt in favor of forces within > China > that pressure for a change in policy. _____________________ Henery, What do you think of the talk about Russia-China-India triangular counterweight to US led hegemony that is going on around here? Cheers, ajit sinha > Envoy Says China Dispute Won't Last > > By GEORGE GEDDA Associated Press Writer > > WASHINGTON (AP) -- Holed up in the U.S. > Embassy in China as a virtual prisoner for > four > days, Ambassador James Sasser nonetheless > believes the flap over the mistaken U.S. > bombing of > > the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade is an > aberration > that the two sides will overcome. > > ``I think wiser heads will prevail on both > sides, > and > both sides will move forward and continue to > build > a > partnership,'' Sasser said Monday night on > CNN's > ``Larry King Live'' program. > > Sasser said he is encouraged by signs of a > Chinese > willingness for the first time to permit the > media > to > publish U.S. expressions of condolences over > the > loss of life in Belgrade and the apologies > of > President Clinton and other senior > officials. > > But Chinese President Jiang Zemin has yet to > accept > > a telephone call from Clinton, and other > Chinese > officials are continuing to cast doubt on > the > American claim that last week's bombing was > an > accident. > > In the first direct fallout on the fragile > U.S.-Chinese > military relationship, Beijing canceled a > planned > visit > next week by Gen. Charles Krulak, commandant > of > the Marine Corps, and ``put on hold'' > virtually all > > military-to-military cooperation with the > United > States, U.S. defense officials said today. > > Defense Secretary William Cohen's planned > trip to > China in June now appears unlikely, > officials said, > > although Cohen said Monday, ``Much will > depend > upon whether the Chinese government wishes > to > have me travel there.'' He said he wanted to > strengthen defense ties, ``but that depends > upon > the > Chinese government.'' > > China's ambassador to the United States, Li > Zhao > Xing, said on CNN: ``Some people are saying > this is > > a mistake. ... How could they make such an > error?'' > > He demanded a ``thoroughgoing > investigation'' into > the incident. > > The situation improved today, Sasser said. > ``We are > > not getting nearly as many rocks thrown at > us and > the crowds are much smaller,'' he said on > NBC's > ``Today.'' > > ``I think it is clear that we have to move > rapidly > to > give China a clear and cogent explanation'' > how the > > bombing mistake occurred, Sasser said. > > Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering, > interviewed immediately after Sasser, was > asked > when the United States would provide that > explanation. > > ``Yesterday,'' he replied, referring to > Defense > Secretary William Cohen's statement Monday. > ``We > responded with great speed and made clear to > the > Chinese that this was a tragic mistake,'' > Pickering > > said. He would not rule out further > explanations, > adding, ``We are continuing our review.'' > > Sasser, a former Democratic senator from > Tennessee, said he has remained at the > embassy > because the Chinese police were unable to > guarantee > > his safety. He said his wife and son were > moved to > safety in a hotel. > > One reason for his optimism, Sasser said, > was that > the Chinese government, after initially > condoning > the > mass demonstrations at the embassy and at > U.S. > consulates, is now making a strong effort to > contain > them. > > There was little doubt, though, that the > bombing in > > Belgrade, which killed three Chinese and > seriously > wounded six, left Sino-American relations at > a low > ebb. > > Among the early casualties were high-level > military > > ties as well as talks on arms control, > international > security and human rights. China suspended > contacts in all these areas Monday. > > Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a candidate for > president, said he would take a tough line > with > China, asking officials to use their > security > forces to > prevent attacks on the U.S. Embassy. > > ``I would call up the premier of China and > say, > `Stop it and stop it right now,''' he said. > ``We > have > apologized, it's tragic, now it's over.'' > > McCain said he would not threaten China, but > would ``certainly make it clear there are a > whole > lot > of issues we need to work together on,'' > such as > trade. > > Another Republican presidential candidate, > commentator Pat Buchanan, said China's > response > to the accident was not that of a friend but > rather > of > ``an antagonistic and hostile regime > spoiling for a > > quarrel.'' > > The incident placed a fresh burden on a > relationship > already straining under the weight of U.S. > allegations > of Chinese nuclear spying, illegal campaign > contributions, a widening trade deficit in > China's > favor and American complaints about China's > human rights performance. > > Clinton has said his efforts to reach out to > China > have paid dividends. > > > Among other advances, Clinton says U.S. ties > with > China helped his administration negotiate a > nuclear > > freeze with North Korea five years ago and > persuade China to stop selling > weapons-related > nuclear materials to Pakistan and Iran. > > While deeply disturbed by the bombing of a > building > > erroneously thought to be a Yugoslav > military > installation, U.S. officials said they were > displeased > with aspects of the Chinese government's > response. > > State Department spokesman James Rubin said > the > administration was troubled by what he > described as > > clear Chinese government sponsorship of the > demonstrations, in which bricks and concrete > were > heaved at embassy buildings and cars. > > Rubin also said it was ``extremely > unfortunate'' > that > China's government-controlled media have > kept > information from the Chinese people about > the > expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Kosovo > Albanians from Yugoslavia while focusing > instead > on NATO mishaps that have led to the > unintentional > killing of civilians. > > =03AP-NY-05-11-99 0914EDT > > Copyright =A9 Associated Press. All rights > reserved. > This material > may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, > or > redistributed. >
