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Policy Forum Online: Ethical Governance Of Investment Biweekly Update
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I. United States1. US Nuclear Posture The Los Angeles Times, (William M. Arkin, "SECRET PLAN OUTLINES THE UNTHINKABLE," Washington, 03/10/02) and The New York Times (Michael R. Gordon, "US NUCLEAR PLAN SEES NEW WEAPONS AND NEW TARGETS," Washington, 03/10/02) reported that according to a classified Pentagon report the Bush administration, in a secret policy review completed early this year, has ordered the Pentagon to draft contingency plans for the use of nuclear weapons against at least seven countries: PRC, Russia, Iraq, DPRK, Iran, Libya and Syria, as well as to build smaller nuclear weapons for use in certain battlefield situations. In addition, the US Defense Department has been told to prepare for the possibility that nuclear weapons may be required in some future Arab-Israeli crisis. It says the weapons could be used in three types of situations: against targets able to withstand nonnuclear attack; in retaliation for attack with nuclear, biological or chemical weapons; or "in the event of surprising military developments." These and a host of other directives, including calls for developing bunker-busting mini-nukes and nuclear weapons that reduce collateral damage, are contained in a still-classified document called the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which was delivered to Congress on January 8. The Associated Press (Burt Herman, "GLOBE REACTS TO U.S. NUCLEAR PLAN," Moscow, 03/11/02) and Reuters ("CHINA SAYS IT'S DEEPLY SHOCKED BY U.S. NUKE PLANNING," Beijing, 03/11/02) reported that a classified report sent by the US Defense Department to Congress outlined the possible use of nuclear weapons against countries that possess or are developing weapons of mass destruction. The "nuclear posture review" identified seven nations: the PRC, Iran, Iraq, Libya, DPRK, Russia and Syria. Explanations over the weekend by Secretary of State Colin Powell and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice that the US doesn't plan to use nuclear weapons did not satisfy Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. Russia, Ivanov said, expects answers from a "higher level" that would "make things clear and calm the international community, convincing it that the US does not have such plans." PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said "China, like other countries, is deeply shocked" to be in the group of seven. "The US side bears the responsibility to make an explanation on this matter," Sun told the official Xinhua News Agency. Japan, the only country ever to be hit by nuclear weapons, said it opposes the use of weapons of mass destruction, but was otherwise tightlipped. "We are not in a position to say anything about it because the document is classified," a senior Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity. The Los Angeles Times (David G. Savage, "NUCLEAR PLAN MEANT TO DETER," Washington, 03/11/02), Reuters ("CHENEY SAYS U.S. NOT TARGETING ANYONE WITH NUKES," London, 03/11/02) reported that US Vice President Dick Cheney announced Monday that the US is not targeting any nation for nuclear attack. Cheney stated, "The United States on a day-to-day basis does not target nuclear weapons on any nation," he told a news conference. "The notion ... we are preparing pre-emptive nuclear strikes against seven countries ... I would say that is a bit over the top." Powell worried that the leak of the Pentagon report will "get the international community upset." "We should not get all carried away with some sense that the United States is planning to use nuclear weapons in some contingency that is coming up in the near future," he said. "It is not the case." White House officials made clear that the term "weapons of mass destruction" referred not just to nuclear bombs but also to chemical and biological weapons. Air Force General Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, included "high explosives" in his definition of the term. "This preserves for the president all the options that a president would want to have in case this country or our friends and allies were attacked with weapons of mass destruction, be they nuclear, biological, chemical or, for that matter, high explosives," Myers said. "This is all about deterrence," he added. 2. Taiwan US Visits The Associated Press (William Foreman, "TAIWAN OFFICIAL MAKES RARE US TRIP," Taipei, 03/11/02) reported that Taiwan's defense minister Tang Yiau-ming shrugged off the PRC's angry demands that he skip a gathering of US officials and businesses in Florida. After arriving in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Sunday for the private US-Taiwan Business Council convention, Tang told reporters that he was not worried about the PRC. Tang stated, "The Republic of China is a sovereign nation. I think that as the defense minister, if a country invites me to visit, I'm going to go." 3. PRC-US Relations Agence France-Presse ("US AMBASSADOR TO CHINA SUMMONED AS TAIWAN MINISTER VISIT ROW WORSENS," 03/08/02) reported that the PRC has summoned the US ambassador to Beijing for a dressing-down in a deepening of a row over the proposed visit by Taiwan's defence minister to a summit in Florida. US Ambassador Clark T. Randt was called in to hear "serious representations" from Junior Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong, the state Xinhua news agency reported late Thursday. The US decision to grant Taiwanese minister Tang Yao-ming an entry visa for the defence conference next week was an "open violation" of agreements between the United States and China, Zhou said. Agence France-Presse ("TAIWAN DEFENSE MINISTER'S US TRIP WILL NOT AFFECT HU JINTAO VISIT: FM," 03/10/02) reported that PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said that Taiwan defense minister Tang Yao-ming's visit to the US will not affect PRC Vice President Hu Jintao's visit to the US this year. Tang Jiaxuan said it was too soon to tell whether Tang Yao- ming's visit to Florida to attend a military conference would affect Sino-US relations. Tang Jiaxuan also said that the visit would not affect Hu's upcoming visit as the PRC and the US needed normal exchanges. Hu's visit will likely take place in the first half of the year. Taiwan's defense minister arrived in Florida on Sunday for a three-day visit despite strong protests from the PRC. Tang Yao-ming is expected to meet Deputy US Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and other senior US officals, including Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs James Kelly at the conference, Taiwanese media reports said. 4. Taiwan's View of PRC Military Budget Agence France-Presse ("TAIWAN WORRIED ABOUT CHINA'S INCREASED MILITARY BUDGET," 03/08/02) reported that Taiwan said that the PRC's expansion in military spending would only cause more instability across the Taiwan Strait. Chen Ming-tung, vice chairperson of the cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated, "We are aware of the double-digit growths in military spending annually in the mainland during 1990-2002. We also see a continuous deployment of missiles along the coast of Fujian province facing Taiwan. We think these kind of moves would not help improve relations across the Taiwan Strait." The MAC formulates Taiwan's policy on the PRC. "The mainland, so far, has not renounced the use of force against Taiwan, and this has caused instability to the Strait," he said. "Having the missiles aimed at Taiwan will not win the heart of people on Taiwan," he added. 5. PRC Domestic Security Agence France-Presse ("CHINESE PRESIDENT ORDERS FORCES TO SHOOT FALUNGONG: GROUP SPOKESMAN," 03/08/02) reported that PRC President Jiang Zemin has ordered his nation's security services to shoot members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group caught hanging banners and posting signs on behalf of the organization, a spokesman for the group said. "Recently, Jiang Zemin issued orders that if the Falungong practitioners are posting flyers or signs, they (the security services) can shoot," Erping Zhang told reporters Friday at a gathering here in front of the PRC consulate protesting the move. "This has happened already," he said. "Three or four people were shot in the legs while hanging signs in Liaoning and Jilin provinces. They are being treated in the hospital." "Now, each province is preparing a list of people to be prosecuted on capital punishment charges," Zhang added. 6. ROK Air Force Project The Associated Press ("FRENCH AEROSPACE GIANT DASSAULT MIGHT LOSE KOREAN JET DEAL AMID SCANDAL," Seoul, 03/11/02) reported that French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation may lose a multibillion dollar fighter-jet project in the ROK after its local agent was implicated in a bribery scandal. Dassault may be forced to withdraw its bid after an ROK air force colonel was arrested Saturday on charges of accepting 11 million won (US$8,400) in bribes from the French firm's local agent, Comet International, the Munhwa Ilbo newspaper quoted military investigators as saying. The JoongAng Ilbo and other local media said the colonel, identified only by his surname Cho, received the money for his "advise" on price and other key selection guidelines on the bidding. The reports quoted an unofficial briefing by military investigators. Cho was also accused of keeping classified military documents on the project at his home. Cho voluntarily turned himself in after investigators launched a hunt for him. 7. ROK Domestic Politics Agence France-Presse ("FORMER SOUTH KOREAN STRONGMAN'S DAUGHTER SET FOR PRESIDENTIAL BID," 03/08/02) reported that Park Geun-Hye, daughter of former ROK president Park Chung-Hee, set up a new political party expected to become her launch pad to stand in this year's presidential election. Park and former prime minister Lee Soo-Sung on Friday agreed to create a new party dedicated to ending the bitter rivalry between eastern and western provinces of the country that has marked previous elections. "We have agreed to make joint efforts to create a new country of hope by joining hands with those who yearn for political reform," Park told journalists Friday. Lee strongly indicated that the as-yet unnamed new party would make Park its candidate for the presidential election in December. 8. ROK World Cup Security The Associated Press ("S KOREA SOCCER STADIUMS TO BE ARMED," Seoul, 03/11/02) Reported that the ROK military will deploy two French-made, portable land-to-air missiles to stadiums during World Cup soccer matches in South Korea to prevent possible terror attacks, officials said Monday. Air force jets also will patrol the skies over the stadiums during the tournament, said 1st Lieutenant Kim Ki-ho, an air force spokesperson. 1. US Nuclear Scenarios Joogang Ilbo (Ryu Kwon-ha, "US SAID TO STUDY NUCLEAR SCENARIOS IN NORTH," Washington, 03/11/02) reported that the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that the Bush administration has told the Defense Department to prepare plans, on a contingency basis, to use nuclear weapons against at least seven countries including DPRK. Citing a classified Pentagon report, the newspaper said that the US Defense Department was also ordered to build smaller nuclear weapons for use in battlefield situations involving chemical, biological or radioactive warfare. The countries named in the report were PRC, Russia, Iraq, DPRK, Iran, Libya and Syria, according to the newspaper. In regard to DPRK, the report said plans for nuclear warfare should be considered in case of "an attack from North Korea on the South." 2. US-DPRK Relations Joongang Ilbo ("US CURTAILS TRADE WITH PYONGYANG," New York, 03/11/02) reported that what little trade existed between the US and DPRK has decreased significantly since the start of the Bush administration. Statistics released by the US. Department of Commerce showed that trade between the two countries fell to US$676,537 in 2001 from US$2,888,000 in 2000, the last year of the Clinton administration. Of the 2001 figure, US$650,340 was in US exports to the DPRK, while the DPRK exported only US$26,197 to the US. While most of the US exports to the DPRK consisted of medicine and relief goods, the DPRK also imported US$30,000 worth of golf balls. 3. ROK Air Force Project The Korea Herald (Hwang Jang-jin, "AIR FORCE BRIBERY CASE NEW TWIST IN JET FIGHTER PROJECT," Seoul, 03/11/02) reported that an ROK Air Force colonel was arrested on charges of receiving bribes from the local agent of the French bidder. The bribery case could lead to the aircraft maker being dropped from the race to win the 4.2-trillion-won (US$3.2 billion) contract. The officer, identified only by his family name, Cho, was arrested on Saturday on a charge of taking 11 million won (US$8,370) in exchange for key information concerning the evaluation process last March, Defense Ministry officials said.
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