NAPSNet Daily Report
 
thursday, june 27, 2002
Navigation
 
CONTENTS

I. United States

II. People's Republic of China III. Japan
*  

Policy Forum Online:
Bush Administration's Asia Policy

Special Reports

Week in Review

South Asian Nuclear Dialogue

Nuclear Policy Project Flash

Ethical Governance Of Investment Biweekly Update


Browse Past Reports:
* Preceding Daily Report
* Daily Report Archive
* Search Daily Reports:


Email Services:
* Signup for Email Delivery
* Latest Report Emailed Now
* Send Comments
* Daily Report Credits


I. United States


next 
itemcontentscontacts

1. US-DPRK Talks

Reuters ("UNITED STATES, NORTH KOREA HOLD TALKS IN NEW YORK," Washington. 06/27/02) reported that an unnamed senior US official said that the US and the DPRK held talks in New York on Thursday about resuming a formal dialogue. The official stated, "Nothing was immediately settled." The official also said that US envoy Jack Pritchard had met Pak Gil-yon, the head of the DPRK mission to the United Nations in New York two weeks ago to "confirm that we wanted to talk," adding that the US approach would be on "a whole game plan." The official said that the director of the State Department's office of Korean affairs attended Thursday's meeting, which focused on more specific details of scheduling the anticipated formal negotiations--the "who, what and when." The article said that there is some indication that the US will send a higher-level envoy to Pyongyang than Pritchard, quoting one unnamed US official as saying, "We never said it would be Pritchard."


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

2. DPRK Defectors

The Associated Press (Christopher Bodeen, "ANOTHER NORTH KOREAN SEEKS ASYLUM," Beijing, 06/27/02) reported that an anonymous ROK official said Thursday that a DPRK woman has sought shelter in an ROK diplomatic compound in Beijing. The PRC Foreign Ministry said that it received word about the case from the embassy and asked ROK diplomats to handle the case according to a memorandum issued to foreign missions by the PRC government.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

3. DPRK Broadcast of World Cup

The Associated Press (Paul Shin, "NORTH KOREA DENOUNCES WASHINGTON, THEN BROADCASTS U.S. WORLD CUP MATCH," Seoul, 06/26/02) reported that an anonymous ROK Unification Ministry official said Wednesday that the DPRK broadcast segments of the World Cup quarterfinal match between the US and Germany on Tuesday.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

4. US-PRC Military Talks

The Associated Press ("U.S.-CHINA MILITARY TIES PROGRESS 'FRANK AND CONSTRUCTIVE'," Beijing, 06/27/02) reported that the PRC said Thursday that talks between Peter Rodman, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, and PRC Defense Minister Chi Haotian fostered a "frank and constructive atmosphere." Chi stated, "We hope that the two sides will ... develop military cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and trust." PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao stated, "In a candid and constructive atmosphere, both sides discussed development of bilateral and military relations, especially restoring and developing military exchanges. Both sides expressed willingness to earnestly implement the important consensus of both countries' leaders to develop constructive and cooperative bilateral relations, and push for the restoration and improvement and development of military ties." Rodman also met with Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army. A US embassy spokesman said that the purpose of Rodman's visit was to explore the resumption of US-PRC military-to- military exchanges. The spokesman stated, "The talks dealt candidly with problems that had arisen in the past. They were also constructive in spirit."

The Los Angeles Times (Ching-Ching Ni, "WASHINGTON EXTENDS AN OLIVE TWIG TO CHINA WITH MILITARY VISIT," Beijing, 06/27/02) reported that PRC analysts argued that full reciprocity is impossible until the PRC is on more equal footing with the US. Xia Yishan, senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, stated, "America is so strong; China is so weak. How can you demand total equality?" He added, "America has more than 6,000 nuclear warheads. China has a few more than 20. How can you talk about equal openness?" Xu argued, "I hope America can help facilitate a peaceful resolution to the issue of Taiwan. If they can take a step in that direction, it would do more than anything else in advancing U.S.-China relations."

Insight Magazine (Kenneth R. Timmerman, "RUMSFELD DEMANDS CHINA RECIPROCITY," 07/15/02) said that US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said that Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman was sent to the PRC "to talk about the principles on which we can get our military-to-military relationship on a more solid framework, which will be of mutual benefit." Defense Department spokesman Lieutenant Commander Jeff Davis added that Rodman would be seeking PRC assurances of "transparency, consistency and reciprocity" before the US would consider restoring the military-exchange program. An unnamed defense official said that on May 1, US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told PRC Vice President Hu Jintao "we are perfectly willing to have contacts with you, but only if we get as much out of it as you do." The official said that Rodman's visit could lead to a restoration of the annual Defense Consultative Talks (DCT) if the PRC agrees to transparency and reciprocity. He stated, "But that's a big if — a huge if. We hope the Chinese don't think Rodman is carrying the DCT in his hip pocket, because he's not." Defense consultant Stephen Bryen argued, "The military exchanges with China are a one-way street. We give away stuff and the Chinese promise to behave, and these exchanges are being organized in the middle of a Chinese missile buildup that threatens Taiwan and the U.S. fleet." Larry Wortzel, Asia policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, said that he favors a military-to-military dialogue with the PRC as "a component of our foreign policy," but added, "We need to have exchanges on things such as freedom of navigation, international airspace, proliferation, China's military buildup against Taiwan and how the PRC might create a threat that under the Taiwan Relations Act could oblige the United States to get into a conflict against China to defend Taiwan." Professor Stephen Blank of the US Army War College argued, "The Chinese responded very badly to September 11," and felt increasingly isolated by other countries' support of the US after the attacks. He added, "September 11 destroyed the deal between China and Russia by revealing the misgivings many Russians were already feeling toward Beijing. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin saw that he could not rely on the Chinese to fight terrorism. The Chinese exposed themselves as weak and unavailable." [Ed. Note: This article appeared in the US Department of Defense's Early Bird News Service for June 27.]


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

5. US-PRC Plane Incident

The Washington Times (Bill Gertz, "CHINESE JET FIGHTERS FLY NEAR U.S. SPY PLANE," 06/27/02, 1) reported that two PRC jet fighters came within 150 feet of a US reconnaissance aircraft near the PRC coast north of Taiwan on Monday. An unnamed US intelligence official stated, "The Chinese are getting closer to our planes," adding that the latest aerial intercept was a troubling sign. Another official, however, said that the intercept, while closer than in the past, was "professional and non- threatening." US Defense Department spokesman Navy Lieutenant Commander Jeff Davis stated, "The Chinese intercepts are being handled with a greater degree of professionalism and airmanship than they were prior to the EP-3 incident. Though they continue to respond to our flights, there's been an improvement."


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

6. Outer Space Weapons Ban

The Associated Press (Clare Nullis, "RUSSIA, CHINA MAKE NEW PUSH TO BAN ARMS IN SPACE OVER U.S. OBJECTIONS," Geneva, 06/27/02) reported that the PRC and Russia on Thursday submitted a joint proposal to the Conference on Disarmament for a new international treaty to ban weapons in outer space. PRC Ambassador Hu Xiaodi warned, "Outer space is faced with the danger of weaponization and an arms race." He said that a treaty "is essential for the maintenance of peace and security." Hu said that the core of the planned treaty should be an agreement not to place in orbit any objects with any kinds of weapons, not to install such weapons on celestial bodies; not to resort to the threat of force against outer space objects; and not to help other countries do likewise. He argued, "All these basic obligations echo the outcry of the international community for the peaceful use of the outer space and nipping the danger of the weaponization of outer space in the bud." Russian Ambassador Leonid Skotnikov stated, "We support the urgent adoption today of all measures possible in order to prevent the deployment of weapons in outer space, rather than waste subsequently huge efforts and resources to have it 'de-weaponized'." In a speech to the conference, US negotiator Eric M. Javits stated, "The United States sees no need for new outer space arms control agreements and opposes the idea of negotiating a new outer space treaty." Javits said that the US was prepared to have general discussions on the subject, but rejected any suggestion that these discussions would ultimately lead to a legally binding treaty.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

7. US-Led Military Exercises

The San Diego Union-Tribune (James W. Crawley, "LEANER-THAN-AVERAGE ALLIED CAST JOINS NAVY'S WAR GAME OFF HAWAII," 06/26/02) reported that the biennial Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) multinational naval exercise began Monday off Hawaii with participation of ships from the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, the ROK, Chile and Peru. Thirty-five ships, including 21 warships and support vessels from the US Navy and Coast Guard, are participating this year. During the last Rimpac in 2000, 52 vessels were involved, including 28 U.S. ships. Navy spokesmen said that this year's war game is smaller because many Navy ships and air units are committed to the war in Afghanistan. [Ed. Note: This article appeared in the US Department of Defense's Early Bird News Service for June 27.]


II. People's Republic of China


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

1. DPRK-US Relations

People's Daily (Zhao Jiaming, "DPRK MASS RALLIES MARK DAY OF STRUGGLE AGAINST US IMPERIALISM," Pyongyang, 06/26/02, P3) reported that hundred of thousands of people on June 25 held rallies in Pyongyang against the US to mark the 52nd anniversary of the "Day of Struggle Against US Imperialism," the beginning of the Korean War. Ryang Man-gil, Chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, made a speech at the main venue for the rallies, condemning that the US resorts to confrontation and war, standing in the way of a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. To secure a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, it is necessary to resolutely check and frustrate US aggression plots and war policy against the DPRK, he stressed. Ryang also said that the US, which was chiefly responsible for the Korean issue, should earnestly honor its commitments, stop anti-DPRK war maneuvers, and withdraw its troops and nuclear weapons from the ROK without delay. He called on the people in the DPRK, the ROK and abroad to unite together to launch an anti-US peace movement to crush the US war maneuvers against the DPRK. Attending the rally were Choe Tae-bok and Kim Yong-sun, Secretaries of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, as well as diplomats in Pyongyang, military officers and people from all walks of life, said the report.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

2. ROK-PRC Relations

People's Daily ("CHINESE FM SPOKSMAN ON EMBASSY INTRUSION," Beijing, 06/24/02, P4) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said on June 23 that the PRC would allow the 20-odd foreign people who had intruded into the embassy of the ROK to leave the PRC on condition that they have not committed crimes in the PRC. Liu said that the PRC side would deal with the issue in accordance with relevant international and domestic laws and in a humanitarian spirit. About 20 unidentified people tried to force their way into the ROK embassy in Beijing on May 23, Liu said. The Chinese and ROK sides held many rounds of consultations in Beijing through various diplomatic channels and at various levels, he said. Both sides said they felt pity on the intrusion and other events afterwards, he said. He also said that the ROK side said that it fully understood and respected the stand of the Chinese side on not allowing any diplomatic residence to become a passage for illegal immigration. Liu said that the PRC would verify the identities of the foreign people before allowing them to leave.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

3. PRC-US Relations

China Daily (Hu Xiao, "US TOLD TO IGNORE RUMORS," 06/27/02, P1) reported that a former chief negotiator with Taiwan on June 26 urged the US to accept that the PRC intends to implement its peaceful reunification policy in good faith. Tang Shubei, former executive vice-president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, urged the US to disregard rumors that the PRC will change its policy of peaceful reunification. He said that the mainland has done solid work to bring peaceful reunification closer. Tang was addressing an international conference in Beijing on PRC-US relations, jointly sponsored by the PRC National Defense University and Georgetown University in Washington DC. More than 20 scholars from the US and the PRC attended the four-day conference, which concluded on June 26. Tang, now director of the Cross-Straits Relations Research Center, said that it is necessary for the US to openly declare that it supports the mainland's peaceful reunification policy in order to enhance mutual trust and thus reduce the friction between the two countries over the Taiwan question. He added that Taiwan separatists will never succeed in provoking a Sino-US military confrontation. Tang stressed that the US would itself benefit from peaceful reunification.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

4. US-PRC Military Talks

China Daily (Meng Yan, "SENIOR US MILITARY OFFICIAL VISITS CHINA," 06/26/02, p1) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a regular briefing on June 25 that US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman arrived in Beijing on June 25 for a three-day visit with officials from the PRC army and Foreign Ministry. While military exchanges between the PRC and the US are two-way and reciprocal, the report said that Liu admitted that the two countries have different environments and views on the principles of such military exchanges. "The crux is that the two sides have the wish to conduct exchanges, enhance trust and develop relations, and narrow their differences through contacts and dialogue based on respect, equality and reciprocity," said Liu. Liu also said that Rodman's visit coincides with one to the US by PRC Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang went to the US on June 22 to exchange views with US officials on Asia and make policy consultations on international issues of common concern, said the report.

People's Daily ("CHINA, US HOLD SECOND CONSULTATION ON TERRORISM COMBAT," Washington, 06/23/02, P3) reported that delegations from both the PRC and the US met in Washington on June 20-21 for the second consultations on anti-terrorism struggle. During the two-day consultations, the report said, the two sides analyzed the situation of struggle against terrorism in regions and the world as a whole, as well as the situations in Afghanistan, central Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It said that the two sides also discussed measures of how to use regional organizations to effectively strike against terrorist forces within the framework of the UN and had an in-depth exchange of views on working out a world strategy for the next-phase struggle against terrorism. The two sides reached a lot of consensus on the above- mentioned issues, said the report. It said that the US side, praising highly the contributions that the PRC has made to the world struggle against terrorism, briefed the Chinese side on its opinions over recent developments of terrorist activities and measures that the US has taken. The US also expressed its willingness to provide the PRC with assistance in terms of security during the Olympic Games to be hosted by Beijing in 2008, said the report. The Chinese side made a positive evaluation of cooperation between the two countries in the anti-terrorism struggle, it said, adding that the PRC is willing to further enlarge and deepen such cooperation with the US based on the principle of mutual benefit. The two sides agreed that the next round of consultation will be held in the PRC by the end of this year, it reported.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

5. PRC-Japanese Relations

People's Daily (Li Shijia, "JIANG MEETS JAPANESE DELEGATION OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY," Beijing, 06/27/02, P1) reported that PRC President Jiang Zemin called on June 26 for pushing forward Sino-Japanese relations in a sustainable, stable and healthy way. Jiang, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), told visiting Hatoyama Yukio, head of the Democratic Party of Japan, that the two sides should pay more attention to the interests brought about by promoting friendly relations and adhere to the principles guiding Sino-Japanese relations so as to safeguard the friendly and cooperative partnership devoted to peace and development between the two countries. "We would like to see Japan cooperating with the international community, overcoming economic difficulties, and we wish Japan can stick to the road of peace and development and get along well with all Asian nations," said Jiang. Hatoyama Yukio spoke highly of Jiang's comment on learning from history and facing the future, saying that Japan should look seriously at itself and its history of launching its war of aggression, and never again hurt other countries. The friendship between Japan and the PRC should be maintained, he noted.


next 
itemprev. itemcontentscontacts

6. Across-Taiwan Straits Relations

China Daily (Xing Zhigang, "CROSS STRAITS TRANSPORT ROUTES 'MUST BE DOMESTIC'," 06/27/02, P1) reported that the PRC on June 26 insisted that future sea and air routes across the Taiwan Straits should be regarded as domestic transportation routes once the three direct links are put in place. This definition conforms to the mainland's principle that the three cross-Straits links are internal affairs within one country, said Li Weiyi, spokesman with the Taiwan Affairs Office of State Council of China, according to China Daily. Li reiterated that the definition stems from the indisputable fact that there is only one China in the world and that both Taiwan and the mainland are part of China. The official indicated that it is the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration headed by Chen Shui-bian that has refused to accept this with the aim of creating "two Chinas" or "one China and one Taiwan." Li also said Taiwan's DPP is welcome to send a delegation to visit the PRC as soon as it abandons its "Taiwan Independence" program, but he stressed that unless the DPP completely abandons its "Taiwan Independence" program, the PRC would not engage in any contact with any DPP departments or organizations. Li also said that the PRC resolutely opposes Taiwan's proposal to set up a free-trade zone with the US. "The Chinese Government does not object to Taiwan maintaining non-governmental economic and cultural exchanges with foreign countries," he said. "But we do oppose the establishment of any official relations and official contacts between Taiwan and countries that have established diplomatic ties with China."

China Daily (Xing Zhigang, "BEIJING URGES 3-LINKS," 06/25/02, P1) reported that the PRC on June 24 proposed that authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Straits entrust civil groups to jump-start talks on the three-direct links of trade, transportation and mail services. This is the first time that the PRC has called for such immediate and concrete action from Taiwan since it initiated the idea of establishing the links through non-official consultation, said the report. It reported that Li Bingcai, executive deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, said that entrusted industrial bodies from Taiwan and the PRC can sign formal documents after reaching agreements on technical matters through consultation. The documents may include such contents as the ports that each side should open to the other and shipping companies and airlines that may be involved, said the report. After signing the agreements, it said, these private groups should be in charge of having the papers confirmed by respective authorities and then implemented by related industries on both sides. According to the report, Li made the proposal in separate meetings with two delegations, mainly consisting of "legislators" from Taiwan's opposition Kuomingtang (KMT) and People First Party (PFP) and business leaders. The visits signaled the latest efforts made by Taiwan's opposition parties and business circles to lift the decades-old ban by Taiwan authorities on the three direct links, said the report.


III. Japan


prev. 
itemcontentscontacts

1. Japan-RF Relations

The Japan Times ("KOIZUMI AIRS DESIRES TO VISIT RUSSIA," 06/27/02) reported that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday that he hopes to visit Russia at the earliest opportunity to get stalled peace-treaty negotiations moving again. Koizumi outlined this and other foreign policy initiatives during a meeting with reporters while en route to Canada for this week's summit of leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized countries. Koizumi, who has organized a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, said that he hopes to turn the talks with Putin into a trust-building session. "The conclusion of a peace treaty would enable Japan and Russia to cooperate in carious fields and make big advances in overall ties," Koizumi said. Koizumi and Putin are expected to confirm a basic policy for future bilateral ties, reaffirm an accord reached by their foreign ministers earlier this month on activating political dialogue, and promote cultural cooperation, Japanese official said.



The NAPSNet Daily Report aims to serve as a forum for dialogue and exchange among peace and security specialists. Conventions for readers and a list of acronyms and abbreviations are available to all recipients. For descriptions of the world wide web sites used to gather information for this report, or for more information on web sites with related information, see the collection of other NAPSNet resources.
We invite you to reply to today's report, and we welcome commentary or papers for distribution to the network.

Produced by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development in partnership with:

Ilmin Internationl Relations Institute
BK21 The Education and Research Corps for East Asian Studies
Department of Political Science, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

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

International Peace Research Institute (PRIME),
Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan

Monash Asia Institute,
Monash University, Clayton, Australia

Brandon Yu: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States

Timothy L. Savage: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States

Kim Young-soo: yskim328@hotmail.com
Seoul, Republic of Korea

Hibiki Yamaguchi: hibikiy84@hotmail.com
Tokyo, Japan

Saiko Iwata: saiko@akira.ne.jp
Tokyo, Japan

Hiroya Takagi: hiroya_takagi@hotmail.com
Tokyo, Japan

Peter Razvin: icipu@online.ru
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< /a>
Clayton, Australia

 
Global Peace and Security Program Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DPRK Renewable Energy 
Project Nuclear Policy Project Non-Nuclear NATO Network Related Nautilus Projects NAPSNet Special Reports NATO Flash Nuclear Policy 
Update South Asia Nuclear Dialogue Nautilus Institute Publications Policy Forum Online Signup for Nautilus Email Services Nautilus Research Kiosk Send Feedback Global Peace and Security 
Program Staff Nautilus Institute Home Energy, Security and Environment Globalization and Governance Youth/Pegasus Program Digital Library Search the Nautilus Site