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I. United States1. PRC Test Ban Pact Reuters (Carol Giacomo, "CHINA, IRAN SAID BALKING AT TEST BAN PACT COOPERATION," Washington, 03/07/02) reported that the PRC and Iran are balking at full cooperation with a UN organization monitoring the international nuclear test ban treaty, raising fears that this could further undermine the embattled pact. The two countries have stopped providing complete or timely data to the monitoring group in recent months US officials and diplomatic sources said. The PRC, Iran and several other countries have expressed dismay at being asked to commit millions of dollars to the monitoring operation when it was unclear when -- or if -- the treaty might actually take effect. The operation is costing a total of US$85 million-US$90 million annually, officials said. 2. PRC Domestic Politics The Associated Press (John Leicester, "RECLUSIVE CHINA LEADER SHOWS FACE," Beijing, 03/08/02) reported that Vice Premier Wen Jiabao, the man regarded as the PRC's incoming prime minister surprise public appearance this week meeting with lawmakers and in front of foreign media. When asked if he might be prime minister, Wen just smiled. Aides ushered him out after his meeting with deputies to the National People's Congress. Officials at the meeting said that they received word only the night before that Wen would be in attendance. His appearance was not announced in advance but foreign and Hong Kong reporters who chanced upon the meeting at the Great Hall of the People were allowed to stay. The Hong Kong Economic Times wrote Friday, "Having the usually low-profile Wen Jiabao meet the media is an obvious message about China's personnel arrangement." 3. PRC Domestic Anti-terror Force Agence France-Presse ("CHINA SETS UP NATIONWIDE ANTI-TERROR FORCE," Beijing, 03/08/02) reported that the PRC has set up an anti-terrorism network of paramilitary police in 31 provincial capitals and in counties deemed to be at high risk of terrorist attacks. The network, which includes mobile rapid-response teams and anti-hijacking units, was set up to "curb increasing terrorist threats," the official China Daily said. "The threat posed by terrorist groups... has increased in China because September 11 has actually served as a guidebook for these terrorist forces to organize more deadly attacks," senior People's Armed Police official Liu Hongjun told the newspaper. The new forces are "capable of dealing with any breaking events", Liu said. Liu declined to give the number of anti-terrorism police or other details of the teams, but most of the counties patrolled by mobile units are believed to be in the PRC's far western, Muslim-majority Xinjiang region, which borders Pakistan, Afghanistan and several central Asian countries. 1. Trilateral Coordination for DPRK Joongang Ilbo (Lee Chul-hee, "'ROAD MAP' FOR NORTH TALKS READY," Seoul, 03/08/02) reported that a senior ROK Foreign Ministry official stated that the ROK, US, and Japan will coordinate their dealings with the DPRK through 2004. The Bush administration's DPRK strategy will be mapped out at an April meeting of the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group. "At the April meeting in Tokyo the plan will be finalized." The draft dealt with the DPRK's nuclear and conventional weapons as well as missiles. The latest plan reportedly also includes the issues of human rights and terrorism. The foreign affairs official said U.S.'s "package deal" offers ambassador-level ties to the DPRK and an easing of economic sanctions once a comprehensive agreement is reached on the DPRK's nuclear weapons, conventional forces, missiles, human rights and sponsorship of terror. 2. DPRK–US Relations Joongang Ilbo ("U.S.-N.K. DIALOGUE MUST IMPROVE BILATERAL TIES, PAPER SAYS," Seoul, 03/08/02) reported that pro-DPRK Japanese newspaper Chosun Shinbo carried an editorial Wednesday that said the dialogue between the DPRK and the US should focus on improving bilateral relations. The editorial also stated, "Our stance is clear. We believe talks should be held to foster better ties with each other should there be a dialogue." The editorial asserted that the US does not aim to improve bilateral ties, but to impose its will on the DPRK. "Although the United States is making public its willingness to talk, what the officials really have in mind is to open a dialogue of confrontation and even war," the paper said, enumerating likely demands the US might make once the DPRK concedes to talks. Those demands included halting missile exports, the DPRK's acceptance of a nuclear inspection team and reductions in the DPRK's conventional forces. The paper argued that if DPRK made such concessions it would be left extremely vulnerable, which the paper claimed is the goal of the Bush administration. "Dialogue between Washington and Pyeongyang is a must, but it cannot be realized in this manner," the paper said, adding that the Bush administration has destroyed the goodwill efforts of the Clinton administration. 3. DPRK Missile Facilities Joongang Ilbo ("SATELLITE PICTURES OF NORTH'S MISSILE FACILITIES UNVEILED", Seoul, 03/08/02) reported that stratfor.com, a US intelligence analysis Web site unveiled satellite pictures on Friday of a DPRK missile engine testing systems in Hwadae-gun, Musuadan-ri, North Hamgyong province, along with a report on developments in the DPRK's missile program. The pictures were taken last December by Quick Bird, a US commercial satellite. The report did note though that a testing site for rocket engines was established sometime after 2000, the last time commercially available satellite images of the area were taken. It added that the DPRK is continuing development of its second-generation Daepodong missile despite keeping its pledge to refrain from testing missiles in flight until 2003. Stratfor predicted a high possibility of DPRK test firing its latest Daepodong missile by late 2003. The newest Daepodong is estimated to have a range of up to 6,000 kilometers, but accuracy is thought to be quite poor. Claiming that the DPRK is likely to use its newest Daepodong for political advantage, the report warned of a possible mishap caused by unfavorable relations between the US and DPRK.
1. PRC View on International Situation China Daily ("PREMIER'S REPORT," 03/06/02, P3-5) reported that PRC Premier Zhu Rongji addressed the Fifth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) on March 5 and stated that the international environment is still one "more of opportunity than of challenge." He said that the general picture of the international situation for a period of time to come will be that of "overall peace but local warfare, overall relaxation but local tension, and overall stability but local turbulence." Zhu concluded that the PRC will continue to pursue an independent foreign policy of peace in the new year. Jie Fang Daily (Che Yuming, Xu Xingtang and Ni Siyi, "TANG JIAXUAN ON FOREIGN POLICY," Beijing, 03/07/02, P3) reported that PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said on March 6 at a press conference during the 5th session of the 9th National People's Congress that peace and development remain the themes of the present times, because world balance of power has not fundamentally changed and the September 11th incident has not altered the basic world pattern and major trend of development in the international situation. "And as far as China is concerned, in our international environment, we still face more opportunities than challenges," Tang said. 2. PRC-Japanese Relations Jie Fang Daily (Che Yuming, Xu Xingtang and Ni Siyi, "TANG JIAXUAN ON FOREIGN POLICY," Beijing, 03/07/02, P3) reported that on March 6 at a press conference during the 5th session of the 9th National People's Congress, PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan answered a Japanese correspondent's question related to the mystery boat sunken last year in East China Sea. Tang explained that the PRC has requested Japan fully respect the rights as well as concerns of the PRC and refrain from taking action that might lead to the aggregation and complication of the situation. Tang also said that the PRC will continue to adopt necessary measures to safeguard, in accordance with law, the sovereign rights related to its jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone. Moreover, as a result of the PRC's representations, the Japanese investigation boat has cut short its investigation and withdrawn from the area, Tang said. 3. PRC Defense Budget China Daily (Xing Zhigang, "ARMY BUDGET THREATENS NO ONE," 03/07/02, P2) reported that National People's Congress (NPC) deputies and military experts stated on March 6 that the proposed budget rise in PRC defense spending should not be used as an excuse to spread the so-called fallacy of a "China threat." They stressed that the appropriate increase in expenditures for national defense will not change the nature of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) as a defensive force. 4. PRC Response to US Human Rights Report People's Daily ("US REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS CRITICIZED," Beijing, 03/06/02, P3) reported that a PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson on March 5 expressed, "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to US criticism of the PRC's human rights conditions. Spokesperson Kong Quan told a regular briefing that the US State Department's annual report on the PRC's human rights situation "has made up stories, confused right and wrong, attacked China's judicial system, policies on ethnic minorities and human rights conditions." Kong also called to attention the violation of human rights in the US. "We ask the US to respect the basic norms of international relations, correct wrong practices and stop interfering in China's internal affairs using the excuse of so-called human rights issue," Kong said. China Daily (Meng Yan and Gong Zhengzheng, "WASHINGTON MOVE CONDEMNED," 03/07/02, P6) reported that the PRC on March 6 responded strongly to the US decision to impose tariffs of up to 30% on steel imports, threatening to complain to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The PRC Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) said on March 6 in a statement that the US decision "flouts WTO rules" and the PRC retains the right to appeal to the WTO. In its statement, MOFTEC expressed, "China's small steel exports to the US are not sufficient to damage or threaten to harm US steel firms." Moreover, the report concluded that the proposed tariff would seriously affect normal exports of PRC steel firms to the US and cause them undue losses. However, MOFTEC reaffirmed that it would continue to actively negotiate with the US on the issue.
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