Extracts. President Jiang Calls for Efforts to Popularize Science and Technology President Jiang Zemin called on the whole nation to make further efforts to popularize scientific knowledge, spread scientific thoughts and improve scientific awareness among ordinary Chinese. Jiang, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the statement in his written instruction to a report submitted May 4 by the Ministry of Science and Technology on the country's first national science week, which will open May 14. It is of great significance to promote the science week as a long-term project, Jiang said. Science popularization should focus on youngsters; this is the basis for China's scientific development, and public awareness of science will help China carry out its strategies for revitalizing the nation through science and education. Xu Guanhua, minister of science and technology said that his ministry has designated the third week of May as National Science Week, starting this year. The event aims to spread the state's policy on scientific and technological advance, highlight achievements made by scientists across the country, and enhance scientific awareness among the people. **** Sudanese, Egyptian Presidents to Discuss Peace Plan Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir arrived in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh on Sunday for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The two leaders will discuss an Egyptian-Libyan peace initiative designed to end the 18-year civil war in Sudan and ways of enhancing bilateral ties. The summit had originally been planned in Cairo, but a sandstorm in the Egyptian capital blocked the landing of Bashir's flight and led to the venue change. The two leaders will review the progress of the Egyptian-Libyan initiative aimed at achieving national reconciliation in Sudan and explore ways of expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported. The visit will shore up relations between the two countries, especially in the economic field, and activate the Egyptian-Libyan initiative, the news agency quoted observers as saying. Abdel Baset Sedrat, Sudanese presidential advisor on political affairs, told the Cairo-based Voice of Arabs radio on Sunday that Bashir's visit will open up wider scopes for cooperation between the two countries. "The political leadership in both countries have already agreed to upgrade the level of the Egyptian-Sudanese ministerial committee so as to be chaired by the prime ministers as a step towards further enhancement of bilateral relations," he said. Sudanese government forces have been fighting with southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), which has been struggling for greater autonomy for the predominantly Christian and animist south since 1983. SPLA has also formed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with northern opposition political parties. Egypt and Libya have been making efforts to reconcile all opposition and rebel groups in Sudan. In August 1999, the two countries put forward the initiative calling for holding a peace conference on national reconciliation in Sudan. **** China Elected Chairman of 35th ADB Board of Governors China on Friday was elected chairman of the 35th board of governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with Shanghai picked as the venue of the board's next annual meeting. "The 35th annual meeting of the ADB board of governors will be held in Shanghai in May 2002 and preparations are being made smoothly," Chinese Finance Minister Xiang Huaicheng announced, soon after China was elected board chairman. Introducing the city to the other 58 members of the board, Xiang said Shanghai is an important port city on the west bank of the Pacific. With a population of 16 million, it is a major Chinese financial center, he said. Shanghai's industrial output is 8 percent of the national total, while its export volume and fiscal revenue account for 20 percent and close to 10 percent of the national total respectively, he added. With more than 60 foreign financial agencies based in Shanghai and another 200,000 foreign enterprises investing in Shanghai's industries, the city has become an international metropolitan, Xiang said. **** Chinese, US Cabinet-level Officials Meet in Hawaii As officials from the United States and China held their highest level meeting since the spy plane crisis, Chinese finance minister on Thursday signaled the Chinese were ready to set the incident aside to prevent a further deterioration of Sino-US relations. Finance Minister Xiang Huaicheng and US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill met on the sidelines of an annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank, primarily to discuss economic issues. ``The only thing they talked about was their respective economies," said US Treasury spokesman Michele Davis. She declined to provide any further details about the meeting. Before the session with O'Neill, Xiang told reporters ``there has been satisfactory resolution to the troubles'' between Beijing and Washington. He also said Beijing did not see the dispute as having strained relations more severely than past diplomatic showdowns, say, the 1999 NATO bombing of Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia. Xiang gave no indication new agreements had been reached on the issue but made it clear the conflict would not remain an obstacle to returning US-Chinese relations to a more normal footing. ``Secretary O'Neill (and I) share a consensus that we need to talk'' to resolve any outstanding issues,'' Xiang said. ``I trust Secretary O'Neill will ask me whatever questions he has and tell me whatever he wishes to tell." The last high-level meeting between Chinese and US officials was in March when Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Qian Qichen visited the White House. Relations between the two countries took a steep downturn after the April 1 collision between a U.S. Navy EP-3E surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea. The Chinese plane crashed, killing the pilot, and the U.S. plane made an emergency landing on China's Hainan Island. **** DPRK Slams US for Wrecking Peace by Launching MDS The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) accused on Sunday the United States of wrecking world peace by establishing a controversial Missile Defense System (MDS). The DPRK's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in an editorial that Washington's decision to establish MDS has revealed "its true colors as a nuclear maniac and wrecker of peace. " The paper said the U.S. decision aimed to contain independent countries, especially big powers through military means, and stick to its hegemonic position in the world. The United States brands as "dangerous or rogue states"those countries which are opposed to its intervention and highhanded practices by adhering to their independent stand, the paper said. While Washington argued that MDS is needed to check "threat" from these countries, in fact, "the most dangerous and the biggest rogue state" is the U.S.itself who attempts to "stifle other legitimate sovereign states by force," the editorial said. The paper also refuted Washington's allegation that the Anti- Ballistic Missile Treaty should be scrapped for the establishment of MDS, describing it as an expression of the "strong-arm and hegemonic policy pursued by the warlike U.S.policy makers." The DPRK will take strong countermeasures if the US deploys MDS under the pretext of "threat" from the DPRK, warned the paper. The DPRK urged the U.S. to cool down its "missile hysteria," and see squarely the gravity of the development, the paper said. **** DPRK Blasts US Missile Defense Scheme The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday slammed the United States over its controversial missile defense plan, saying it is intended to seize hegemony over other countries in the world. Rodong Sinmun, a daily of the ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary Sunday that Washington is pressing on with the missile shield plan despite strong opposition and condemnation around the world. The move is set to spark a fresh nuclear arms race and imperil world peace and stability, the paper warned. It also refuted the argument of U.S. President George W. Bush that the missile shield is aimed at protecting the United States and its allies from missile attacks by certain "rogue" countries. In a speech at the U.S. National Defense University on May 1, Bush raised a new concept of offense and defense and formally announced he is determined to proceed with the missile defense plan. The paper said that no country poses threats to the United States in today's world and the so-called "rogue countries" are the very ones that stick to their independent positions and dare oppose U.S. hegemonism and interference. By establishing such a missile defense system, the United States is intended to wipe out these legitimate sovereign states which are not obedient to it, the paper added. It warned that the DPRK is ready to take strong actions if the United States unfolds the missile defense scheme on a so-called " DPRK threat." _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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