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Jiang, Clinton HK Talks Cordial, Bush Changes Tone
President Jiang Zemin affirmed his commitment to work on normal US-China relations at a meeting with former US President Bill Clinton. Meanwhile, US President George W. Bush changed his tone since the April plane collision, admitting "China is a great emerging nation."
A senior Chinese official in charge of relations with the world's superpower, on Wednesday, sought US understanding for China's refusal to allow the detained US spy plane EP-3 to fly home.
In what could be seen as an attempt to turn down the heat in severely strained US-China relations, Deputy Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who is former Chinese ambassador to US, said Chinese public sentiment would be outraged if China allowed the United States to fly the damaged EP-3 Aries II to be flown home.
"If we allow such a military plane, which had a mission of spying on China, to be flown back from a Chinese military airfield, that would further hurt the dignity and sentiments of the Chinese people," Li said while attending the Fortune Global Forum 2001 in Hong Kong. It would be "the cause of strong indignation and opposition from the Chinese people."
Li's statement came hours before President Jiang Zemin held an hour-long meeting with Clinton at the harbor-side hotel.
Although few details of the meeting was made public, Clinton's spokesman said the meeting was "very cordial" and involved a "wide-ranging discussion focused on China."
Spokesman P.J. Crowley also stressed that the meeting was private and that Clinton was not carrying a specific message from the Bush administration.
BUSH SUPPORTS TRADE WITH CHINA
US President George W. Bush changed his tone toward China Tuesday in a speech to electronic industry executives, many of whom are eager to expand their business ties with the world's potential largest country.
"China is a great emerging nation," said Bush as he addressed members of the Electronic Industries Alliance. "I strongly support trade with China."
Bush, in his speech, took a softer line toward China. Not only would trade with China be good for US farmers and industrialists but it will also help promote democratic values, he said. "Open markets eventually will cause folks to demand more freedoms when they get a taste of the marketplace," said Bush.
Since China's membership in the World Trade Organization has not been finalized, the US Congress is likely in June to again take up the issue of granting China permanent normal trade relations status, a measure needed to lower US trade tariffs.
(source: chinadaily.com.cn)
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