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I. United States1. PRC-RF Military Relations Reuters (Brian Rhoads, "CHINA WARILY WELCOMES NATO, RUSSIA PACT," Beijing, 05/30/02) and Agence France-Presse ("RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER TO MEET CHINA'S PRESIDENT," 05/31/02) reported that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov was due to launch a round of talks with the PRC's top political and military leadership, Beijing-based diplomats said. "Defense Minister Ivanov will meet with President Jiang Zemin this afternoon (Friday)," a Russian embassy official stated. "He will begin his main meetings with Chinese military officials on Saturday," he said. During his three-day official visit, Ivanov is expected to brief PRC leaders on Russia's new relationship with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as the nuclear arms reduction treaty signed with the US last week. His meetings with PRC Defense Minister Chi Haotian on Saturday could also touch upon the PRC's huge arms procurements from Russia, they said. The PRC is the largest buyer of Russian arms, accounting for up to 40 percent of Russian weapons exports. Ivanov, who is on his first visit to the PRC as Russia's top military planner, is also expected to meet with PRC Premier Zhu Rongji, Russian press reports said. The PRC has publicly welcomed the improvement in Russia-US ties following a high-profile summit between presidents Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush last week in Moscow. But analysts believe that the PRC, while applauding the US-Russian pledge to reduce their offensive nuclear arsenals, fears possible isolation from the world's two nuclear superpowers. 2. PRC-US Anti-terror Financing Agence France-Presse ("CHINESE EXPERTS MEET ON CUTTING TERROR FINANCING," 05/31/02) reported that experts from the US and the PRC are meeting in Washington this week to discuss depriving terrorist networks of their sources of financing, the US Treasury Department announced. "The meetings this week represent another important step in our bilateral relationship with China and in the international fight against global terrorism," the department said in a press release. The meeting unites experts from various agencies and departments in both countries, and is the first of a semi-annual series of consultations on the subject, which reflect the heightened cooperation between the two sides following the September 11 attacks. However, the US has warned the PRC not to use the anti-terror campaign as an excuse for unnecessary crackdowns on separatists, especially in northwest Xinjiang province. 3. Japan Nuclear Policy The Associated Press (Eric Talmadge, "KOIZUMI DENIES CHANGE IN NON-NUCLEAR POLICY AMID REPORTS OF OFFICIALS SUGGESTING A SWITCH," Seoul, 05/31/02) reported that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Friday said that Japan stands by its longstanding policy of not building or possessing nuclear weapons, despite reports in Tokyo that two senior members of his administration indicated otherwise. Koizumi, in Seoul to attend the opening of the World Cup, was responding to a report that his top government spokesman said Friday he sees no problem with the nation possessing nuclear weapons. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told reporters in Tokyo that Japan's Constitution should not prevent it from having nuclear arms for self-defense, Kyodo News reported. "According to my personal way of thinking, we should be able to have (nuclear weapons)," Fukuda was quoted as saying. The Cabinet's press office refused to confirm the remarks. But Koizumi's spokeswoman, Misako Kaji, denied the Kyodo report, saying Fukuda merely meant to say "there is no law that specifically prohibits Japan from owning nuclear weapons." Koizumi, while sating that he did not know the context around Fukuda's remarks, said he strongly stands by the non-nuclear principles that Japan has adhered to since the end of World War II. "It is significant that although we could have them, we don't," he said. 4. ROK-Japan Relations Reuters ("SOUTH KOREA'S KIM IN TALKS WITH JAPANESE PRINCE," Seoul, 05/30/02) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-jung held talks with a cousin of the Japanese emperor on Thursday in a symbolic move to improve relations between Japan and the ROK. Prince Takamado's trip to attend Friday's World Cup opening ceremony in Seoul was the first official visit to the ROK by a member of the Japanese Imperial family since World War Two. "I hope the royal couple's visit will strengthen the cooperation and friendship between South Korea and Japan and lead to a successful World Cup," Kim said on the eve of the opening ceremony and match in Seoul. "I believe that the World Cup will serve as a motivation to reestablish a mutually friendly relationship between Japan and South Korea in the 21st century," Kim said. The prince arrived in Seoul on Wednesday afternoon with his wife, Princess Hisako, and was scheduled to see two World Cup matches over the weekend. 5. Russia-PRC Military Relations The Associated Press ("RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER PRAISES CLOSER MILITARY TIES WITH CHINA," Beijing, 05/31/02) reported that Russia's defense minister met with PRC President Jiang Zemin on Friday for talks on building military ties between the two former rivals and allaying suspicions about Moscow's closer links with NATO. Both Jiang and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov gave an upbeat assessment of the talks, saying the two sides agreed on the need for a strategic partnership. "The development of military relations between Russia and China not only benefits both nations, but also helps promote regional and world peace and stability," Ivanov was quoted as saying. Ivanov reportedly said military ties have grown warmer in recent years, including increased contacts between the nations' defense ministers. The two sides also discussed measures to fight international terrorism. Jiang will visit the Russian city of St. Petersburg in June for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a group originally founded in the PRC to combat Muslim extremists. The organization is made up of Russia, the PRC and four central Asia republics. 6. PRC Crackdown on "E-Trash" The Associated Press ("CHINA TO CRACKDOWN ON SMUGGLING OF E-TRASH, REPORT SAYS," Beijing, 05/30/02) reported that the PRC will crack down on illegal imports of junked computers and other high- tech trash following reports of health and environmental damage caused by unsafe recycling, the official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday. PRC environmental officials will also shut down factories where toxic chemicals are being released by the improper recycling of e-trash - mostly printers, computer screens and circuit boards from countries like the United States, the report said. "Some developing countries run the risk of becoming dumping grounds for electronic wastes from developed countries," Xinhua warned. Xinhua said the crackdown comes after international attention was focused on health problems in the town of Guiyu, near Hong Kong in the southeast province of Guangdong. In February, Guiyu residents told The Associated Press that children were falling sick with mysterious breathing ailments and deadly diseases like leukemia. They said the high-tech garbage was smuggled into the PRC from the US and also Japan. The Xinhua report did not specify what actions will be taken. Guiyu residents and local officials have said the town's illegal recycling industry has survived repeated crackdowns in the past. 1. World Cup Commencement Chosun Ilbo (Kim Dong-seok, "2002 WORLD CUP OPENS FRIDAY," Seoul, 05/31/02) reported that the 2002 Korea Japan World Cup Finals, the 17th holding of the international football extravaganza commences Friday at 8:30pm in the Sangam World Cup Stadium, Seoul with the opening match between France and Senegal. The first round will take place in eight league groupings in 20 cities in ROK and Japan, with the final slated for June 30 in Yokohama. The matches are expected to be seen live by 3.5 million spectators and viewed on television by up to 60 billion, making it the largest watched sporting event in world history. An eve ceremony was held on a special stage at the Sangam Stadium attended by President Kim Dae-jung, FIFA President Joseph Sep Blatter, FIFA Vice-president Chung Mong-joon, and football stars of the past including Franz Beckenbauer and Pele among others. 2. US Response to North Korean Refugees Chosun Ilbo (Ju Yong-joon, "US CLARIFIES EXILE POLICY IN NK CASE," Washington, 05/31/02) reported that the US State Department explained its stance Thursday, in refusing asylum requests from DPRK refugees who had entered foreign consulates in PRC, with Spokesman Richard Boucher saying in a briefing that the related US Law limits exile only to applicants who are on US territory and its borders, but not those in US diplomatic missions or those belonging to other countries. Boucher noted that US might allow refugee status as long as the UN asked on behalf of refugees in another country, but that this was a different procedure. 3. UN Aid to DPRK Joongang Ilbo (Lee Seo-kyu, "UN AGENCY AT HALFWAY POINT ON GATHERING AID FOR NORTH," Seoul, 05/31/02) reported that a UN relief agency reported that it has accumulated US$120 million, or 51 percent, of its goal for aid to DPRK this year. The report was made Wednesday after the agency, the Office for the Cooperation of Humanitarian Affairs, completed an evaluation of its humanitarian activities in DPRK. The agency said that aid to Afghanistan was limiting its ability to reach its funding for DPRK. The agency said it had reached only 39 percent of its total budgetary requirements for 2002. In spite of 8 years' of humanitarian intervention in DPRK, international aid organizations still held hope that relief supplies were helping that nation, the agency said. But it said DPRK should pursue policies for economic stability. The agency suggested that DPRK use aid funds to build an infrastructure for sustained economic development, noting the situation there will not improve with only food and medicine assistance. The agency added that donors will hesitate to provide aid unless DPRK shows tangible changes in how it uses international assistance. 4. USFK Oil Leak Probelm Chosun Ilbo (Choi Hong-ryeol, "USFK TO PAY COMPENSATION FOR OIL LEAK," Seoul, 05/31/02) reported that a joint investigation team from the Ministry of the Environment and the US Forces Korea announced Thursday that oil leaking into the number six subway line near Noksapyeong Station was found to have come from a storage tank on the US 8th Army base at Yongsan. Seoul Metropolitan government said the findings of the team mark the first time the USFK has acknowledged responsibility for a leak; previous investigations into leaks pointed at an alternate source. A spokesman said the USFK would repair the damaged tank, restore the underlying land and also pay compensation in accordance with the Status of Forces Agreement.
1. PRC-US Relations People's Daily (Qian Tong, "JIANG ZEMIN MEETS WITH US GUESTS," Beijing, 05/30/02, P1) reported that in a meeting with a group of members of the US House of Representatives led by Curt Weldon in Beijing on May 29, PRC President Jiang Zemin said that the PRC and the US had more common interests than differences, and urged the two sides to widen their common ground and treat their differences with mutual respect and moderation, and seek common views while putting aside differences for the sake of boosting ties. He made positive remarks on the recent momentum in Sino-US relations, saying that new progress had been made in exchanges and cooperation in such areas as counter-terrorism and trade. The world should be colorful and allow different development styles to co-exist, he said. Saying Taiwan remained the most important and sensitive issue in Sino-US relations, Jiang hoped the US would adhere to the one-China policy and the three Sino-US joint communiques. Weldon said that the US backed contact with the PRC, and hoped to develop long-term friendly ties with the PRC and become its good friend and partner. He said that he had friends in both the PRC and Taiwan who all admitted that there was only one China. "We support the one-China policy," he said. 2. PRC-Japanese Relations China Daily (Shao Zongwei, "JAPAN URGED TO TAKE A RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE," 05/24/02, P1) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said on May 23 that it is within the PRC's sovereignty to decide how to handle the five people who broke into the Japanese consulate-General in Shenyang two weeks ago. "China does not need to consult with any other country on this," Kong said. "No other country has the right to interfere." He was responding to Japan's contention that more discussions are needed on the disputes over international laws, the report said. 3. Japan-US Relations People's Daily (Zhang Huanli, "OKINAWA-KEN OF JAPAN PROTESTS US TROOPS OF DISTURBING LOCAL PEOPLE," Tokyo, 05/28/02, P3) reported that legislators from Japan's Okinawa-ken and leaders from the cities and villages under the jurisdiction of Okinawa-ken held a mass rally on May 27 near the US air-force base in Okinawa to protest the harms caused by US planes to local people. The participants of the rally strongly criticized that the US forces stationed in the island was indifferent to the harms they brought to local people. The rally passed a resolution requiring banning the taking-off and landing of US planes during 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. of the next day. The resolution also said that the US side should quickly inform local governments the messages related to the taking-off and landing of the planes, according to the report. 4. Across Taiwan Strait Relations China Daily (Xing Zhigang, "DIRECT LINKS IMPORTANT FOR REUNIFICATION," 05/30/02, P1) reported that the PRC on May 29 reproached Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian for going against the common aspiration of all PRC people for national reunification in order to promote creeping independence in his first two years in office. Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of the PRC, said the PRC would continue its policy of "listening to Chen's words and watching his deeds" over the next two years until his term ends in 2004. Since taking office, the report said, Chen has conducted a string of de-Sinofication moves, aimed at creating a "Republic of Taiwan" China Daily (Xing Zhigang, "TRAGEDY MARKS NEED FOR LINKS," 05/28/02, P1) said that the catastrophic crash of a China airlines plane may turn out to be a new driving force to push forward an ongoing bid from both sides of the Taiwan Straits to end Taiwan's five-decade ban on three direct links. It reported that Taiwan affairs officials and experts said on May 27 that the tragic accident has highlighted the pressing need to open direct trade, transport and postal services dubbed "the three direct links" between Taiwan and the mainland. An official with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, who declined to be named, told China Daily that the PRC will make re-doubled efforts to establish the three links as soon as possible and hopes Taipei will do the same. People's Daily ("JIANG EXPRESSES CONDOLENCE OVER VICTIMS OF CHINA AIRLINES CRASH," Beijing, 05/28/02, P1) reported that PRC President Jiang Zemin on May 27 expressed condolence over the losses of lives in the crash of the China Airlines Flight CI-611 off the island county of Penghu, and asked relevant departments to make their all-out efforts to help the rescue work and properly deal with the aftermath of the accident. According to the report, Jiang said that he is highly concerned with the tragedy when meeting representatives of the 11th national civil affairs conference. Compatriots across the Taiwan straits are bound together by ties of brotherly love, Jiang said. "I express my condolence over the compatriots from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and PRC Mainland, who were killed in the tragedy and show my sincere sympathy to their relatives," he said. 5. PRC Nuclear Industry People's Daily ("LING'AO NUCLEAR PLANT BEGINS COMMERCIAL OPERATION," Shenzhen, 05/29/02, P1) reported that the first two generators at the Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plant in Shenzhen, south Guangdong Province began commercial operations on May 28 after passing a series of official tests. It said, the commercial operation was 48 days ahead of the original plan. It will be helpful to mitigate the short supply of electricity for Guangdong Province, especially the city of Shenzhen, said the report.
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