NAPSNet Daily Report
 
thursday, march 14, 2002
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CONTENTS

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea III. People's Republic of China
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I. United States


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1. PRC View of Taiwan-US Defense Meeting

Reuters ("CHINA SAYS US-TAIWAN DEFENSE MEETING HARMS TIES," Beijing, 03/14/02) reported that Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue stated that "The Chinese government and people express strong dissatisfaction and indignation over the US side allowing Tang Yiau-ming to visit and arranging high-ranking officials to meet him. Such a move will bring about negative effects on Sino-US relations." The US defended the talks on Wednesday arguing that it did not violate US policy. On Monday, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz met Tang at a private conference in Florida for the highest-level documented US-Taiwan defense talks in at least 22 years. Wolfowitz and Tang held talks focusing on US arms sales to Taiwan. Tang also met Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly in what the State Department called a courtesy meeting.


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2. Taiwan-US Relations

Asia Pulse ("US OFFICIAL REAFFIRMS REAGAN'S 'SIX ASSURANCES' TO TAIWAN," St. Petersburg, 03/14/02) reported that Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly reaffirmed in a speech at the US- Taiwan Defense Summit 2002 the Bush administration's commitment to abiding by its "six assurances" to Taiwan. Kelly made the reaffirmation in his speech delivered at the closing session of the three-day summit. This was the first time in recent memory that a senior US official has made a public reaffirmation of the "six assurances" pledged by the Reagan administration in 1982 after it signed the "August 17 joint communique" with the PRC. The "six assurances" include that the US will neither set a deadline for stopping arms sales to Taiwan nor discuss its arms sales packages with the PRC. The US also promised not to revise the Taiwan Relations Act, not to force Taiwan to negotiate with the PRC and not to act as a go-between in relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.


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3. ROK Air Force Project

Reuters (Jason Neely, "DASSAULT SUSPENDS S.KOREA AGENT IN $4 BLN JET DEAL," Seoul, 03/14/02) reported that Dassault Aviation SA of France said on Thursday that it had suspended ties with a commercial agent implicated in a money-for-favors scandal in the ROK during the final stages of bidding for a new fighter jet deal. A senior air force officer arrested by military authorities last week has said an agent working on Dassault's behalf had given him 11 million won (US$8,393), defense ministry officials said. "We have notified (the agent) that they should suspend all activities with respect to the F/X project on our behalf," Yves Robins, Dassault vice president for defense international relations, told a news conference. "Until the Korean justice clears the case and when the case will be cleared we shall take the appropriate legal conclusions," he said, speaking in English.


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4. DPRK Refugees in PRC

Agence France-Presse ("NORTH KOREANS SEEK REFUGE IN SPANISH EMBASSY IN BEIJING," 03/14/02) reported that a group of 25 DPRK citizens burst into the Spanish embassy in Beijing to seek refuge, officials and witnesses said. The group shoved their way past guards outside the embassy, in Beijing's Sanlitun diplomatic district on Thursday morning. "They're seeking for the status of refugees," said Christina Perez-Gutierrez, a diplomat inside the Spanish embassy. The DPRK citizens, whom she identified as 14 adults and 11 children, including a seven-year-old girl, were now inside the ambassador's residence, she said. Embassy officials were meeting a representative from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' office in Beijing to discuss the affair, she added.


II. Republic of Korea


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1. Comfort Women Issue

Joongang Ilbo (Lim Ji-su, "WOMEN IN 500TH WEEK OF PROTESTS," Seoul, 03/14/02) reported that as banners flew and cameras clicked, eight women who say they were victims of sexual slavery by the Japanese army during World War II, known as "comfort women," held their 500th protest rally Wednesday demanding that the Japanese government officially acknowledge their existence. Supporters wearing orange sashes reading "grandma guardians" warded off the crowd closing in around "the grandmothers," as the elderly victims are called. Every Wednesday since January 8, 1992, members of various civic groups led by the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan have gathered in front of the Japanese Embassy. Their demand for an apology has gone unanswered. All the windows of the Japanese Embassy had their blinds down during the rally.


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2. ROK Air Force Project

Joongang Ilbo (Kim Min-seok, "MINISTRY REBUKES DASSAULT ON 'SMEAR,'" Seoul, 03/14/02) reported that the Ministry of National Defense expressed regret Wednesday over statements by Dassault Aviation saying that the arrest of a ROK Air Force colonel was part of a smear campaign. The French firm's officials said allegations that it had bribed an ROK air force colonel in return for advice about the US$3.2 billion dollar contract were a malicious fabrication. On Wednesday morning, the arrested Colonel Cho Ju-hyeong's wife and his lawyer met with reporters and released a tape recording of testimony by Colonel Cho.


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3. ROK-Japan Relations

The Korea Herald (Shin Yong-bae, "KIM, KOIZUMI TO HOLD SUMMIT TALKS MARCH 21," Seoul, 03/14/02) reported that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will visit the ROK on March 21 for talks with ROK President Kim Dae-jung. During the summit, Kim and Koizumi will discuss their countries' co-hosting of the upcoming World Cup soccer games and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. The two leaders will also exchange views on the implementation of the agreements they made during a meeting at the annual summit of Asian and Pacific leaders in Shanghai last October. Promoting economic and regional cooperation and devising ways to counter terrorism are also major topics to be discussed between the two leaders.


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4. DPRK-US Relations

The Korea Herald ("NK SLAMS US NUCLEAR STRATEGY," Seoul, 03/14/02) reported that the DPRK said on Wednesday that the US nuclear posture review would encourage a global nuclear arms race. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, "The US nuclear war scenario is an inhumane plan to spark a global nuclear arms race and bring the political and military situation in the world, including the Korean peninsula, to an extreme pitch of tension." The KCNA also accused the US of pursuing "nuclear blackmail."


III. People's Republic of China


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1. DPRK Military Preparation

People's Daily (Zhao Jiaming, "DPRK PREPARED TO DEFEND HOMELAND: KIM JONG IL," Pyongyang, 03/13/02, P9) reported that Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of DPRK watched the military train of 319 army units on March 11. During the inspection, Kim stressed that the armed forces of the DPRK have made political and military preparation to defeat any enemy. The armed forces are capable of shattering any enemy invasion and safeguarding the socialist homeland, said Kim. According to the report from Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of DPRK, on March 12, Kim expressed his satisfaction to the military train of the army.


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2. DPRK-PRC Relations

People's Daily ("QIAN MEETS DPRK DEPUTY FM," Beijing, 03/13/02, P4) reported that PRC Vice Premier Qian Qichen met with visiting DPRK deputy Foreign Minister Kim Yong-Il in Beijing on March 12. During the meeting, Qian said PRC President Jiang Zemin's visit to DPRK last September was a success. The high-level mutual visits between the PRC and the DPRK and the exchanges between the departments of the two countries pushed forward bilateral relations, said Qian. Kim expressed during the meeting that the DPRK attaches great importance to the development of the traditional friendship with the DPRK. It is the consistent policy of DPRK's Party and government to continuously consolidate and develop DPRK-China friendly relations, Kim stressed.


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3. PRC-US Relations

People's Daily ("CHINA LODGES PROTESTS WITH THE US," Washington, 03/14/02, P10) reported that PRC Ambassador to the US Yang Jiechi on March 12 lodged a strong protest with the US government over the way the US handled the visit of Taiwan "defense chief" Tang Yiau-ming. Yang stressed China's stance on its firm opposition to any official contacts and military exchanges between the US and Taiwan. Despite the PRC's opposition, the US allowed Tang to visit the country and arranged meetings between Tang and high- level government officials, Yang said. The move has severely violated the "one China" principle and runs counter to the three Sino-US joint communiques, he said. The Chinese government expresses its strong dissatisfaction and indignation, Yang told Grossman. Yang said, the US move will certainly encourage separatist forces in Taiwan and poison both Sino-US relations and relations across the Taiwan Straits. The PRC demands the US recognize the seriousness of its wrong move and correct it in real earnest. It demands the US immediately stop official contacts and military exchanges with Taiwan, stick strictly to its "one China" principle and the three joint communiques and take concrete actions to honor its commitments to the PRC government and people, Yang said.

China Daily (Shao Zongwei, "STATE PROMPTS US TO EXPLAIN NUKE REPORT," 03/13/02, P1) reported that a PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on March 12 that the PRC is waiting for an official and more clear-cut explanation from the US on the possible use of nuclear weapons against the PRC and six other countries. Sun Yuxi, the spokesperson, said at a press conference that while the PRC is aware some US officials have commented on the issue, it still has more explanation to do.

China Daily ("ARTICLE TELLS US RIGHTS SITUATION," 03/11/02, P1) reported that the Information Office of the State Council of the PRC will issue on March 11 the human rights record of the United States in 2001. The article, about 10,000 Chinese words, consists of six parts, including the "lack of safeguard for life freedom and personal safety," "serious rights violations by law enforcement departments" and the "plight of the poor, hungry and homeless," said the report. The report cites lots of facts and examples to show the serious human rights violations in the US, urging the US Government to give up its double standards and unilateralism on such issues as human right. It calls on the US to go with the tide of the times, characterized by cooperation and dialogue in the area of human rights, and to do things conducive to the progress and development of human society, said the report.


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4. Across-Taiwan Straits Relations

China Daily (Xiao Huo, "BANKS GET GREEN LIGHT TO ROLL ON TO MAINLAND," 03/12/02, P2) reported that two Taiwan-based commercial banks have been officially given the green-light to open offices in the PRC making them the first Taiwan-based banking companies to be set up in the PRC. The United World Chinese Commercial Bank will be allowed to establish an office in Shanghai, while the Changhwa Bank will be allowed to set up an office in the nearby city of Kunshan, said the PRC's central bank governor Dai Xianglong on March 11. "This is terrific news for financial cooperations between the two sides across the Taiwan Straits," said Dai. He also said the central government is encouraging mainland-based financial institutions to be set up in Taiwan in a move to boost cross-Straits economic and trade links.

People's Daily (Wang Yantian, "JIANG CALLS FOR IMPROVED CROSS- STRAIT EXCHANGES, PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION," Beijing, 03/09/02, P1) reported that in a group discussion with native Taiwanese deputies in the Fifth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) on March 8, PRC leader Jiang Zemin said that the PRC Government and people are determined and capable of solving the Taiwan question at an early date and complete the task of reunification the motherland. Jiang said it is universally acknowledged that there is only one PRC in the world, and Taiwan is part of the PRC, and the mainland will follow the basic line of "peaceful reunification and 'one country, two systems.'"


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5. PRC-Russian Relations

People's Daily ("CHINA, RUSSIA HOLD STRATEGIC STABILITY CONSULTATIONS," Beijing, 03/08/02, P4) reported that PRC Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister G. Mamedov held consultations in Beijing on March 6 on strategic stability. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the current situation in world security, and major issues relating to international arms control and disarmament, said the report. It said, both sides reiterated that with the current global situation, continuing the international arms control and disarmament system and maintaining global strategic stability are of vital importance to world peace and security. They agreed to continue close consultations on the issues, said the report.


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6. PRC Military Development

People's Daily (Luo Yuwen and Cao Zhi, "JIANG STRESSES FORTIFYING ARMY," Beijing, 03/23/02, P1) reported that PRC President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Jiang Zemin focused on a number of major issues regarding military affairs, when he addressed on March 12 a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC). Jiang called the PLA the loyal guardian of national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and an important force to safeguard social stability. Jiang urged the PRC armed forces to make solid preparations for military struggles and include anti-terrorism in the military's duties.



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Center for American Studies,
Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China

International Peace Research Institute (PRIME),
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Monash Asia Institute,
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Brandon Yu: napsnet@nautilus.org
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Kim Young-soo: yskim328@hotmail.com
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Hibiki Yamaguchi: hibikiy84@hotmail.com
Tokyo, Japan

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Tokyo, Japan

Hiroya Takagi: hiroya_takagi@hotmail.com
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Peter Razvin: icipu@glas.apc.org
Moscow, Russian Federation

Wu Chunsi: cswu@fudan.ac.cn
Shanghai, People's Republic of China

Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Shanghai, People's Republic of China

John McKay: John.McKay@adm.monash. edu.au
Clayton, Australia

 
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