NAPSNet Daily Report
 
monday, december 9, 2002
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I. United States

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


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1. PRC Defense Policy

The Agence France-Presse ("CHINA'S NEW DEFENSE POLICY TO MAINTAIN PEACE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH," 12/10/02) reported that the PRC issued a major new defense policy document that called for maintaining peaceful conditions for economic growth and advocated an international security concept focused on "mutual" security. "A developing China needs a peaceful international environment and a favorable climate in its periphery," the State Council said in a defense white paper entitled "China's National Defense in 2002." The document, only the fourth such paper issued by the PRC, reflected the goal of building a "well-off" society which the PRC's top leaders set out at a key party congress last month. Much of the white paper urged that the world should balance the security needs of one country with the security of others. "To enhance mutual trust through dialogue, to promote common security through cooperation and to cultivate a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, have become the requirements of the trend of our era," the document said. "China will unremittingly put the new security concept into practice, oppose all kinds of hegemonism and power politics and combat terrorism in all forms and manifestations."


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2. ROK Response to Anti-US Protests

The Agence France-Presse ("SOUTH KOREAN LEADERSHIP ATTEMPTS TO CALM ANTI-US SENTIMENT," 12/09/02) and the Washington Post (Doug Struck, "RESENTMENT TOWARD U.S. TROOPS IS BOILING OVER IN SOUTH KOREA," Seoul, 12/09/02) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-Jung has called for calm and leading contenders for the December 19 presidential election joined efforts to defuse an alarming rise of anti-Americanism. With the 50-year-old alliance between the ROK and the US under strain, Kim, for the second time in three days, urged protestors to reign in their attacks on the US. Anti-US sentiment has been simmering since the acquittal last month of two US soldiers accused of causing the deaths of two local schoolgirls in a traffic accident. In talks Monday with US senators Daniel Inouye, a Democrat from Hawaii and Arkansas Republican Ted Stevens on Monday, Kim said efforts should be made both here and in Washington to restore calm. "The two countries should make special efforts to prevent bilateral relations from being hurt by the conflict over the death of two schoolgirls," Kim told the senators, according to his spokeswoman Park Sun-Sook. On Friday, Kim warned it would be dangerous for ROK national interests if the protests shifted into a campaign to remove US troops from the ROK. "The US troops are here because both countries need them here," Kim said. But despite Kim's pleas, thousands of people held a candlelight protest rally near the US embassy over the weekend and Henry Hyde, chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on International Relations, scrapped a planned visit to the South Korean capital.


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3. US-Russia on DPRK

Washington File ("BUSH, PUTIN DISCUSS NORTH KOREA IN PHONE CALL," Washington, 12/06/02) reported that US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke chiefly about the DPRK in a 14-minute phone conversation December 6, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters. "President Putin has just returned from a trip he had taken to China, India and Kyrgyzstan. The two of them discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the importance of the DPRK making certain that they comply with the international community in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. And the two discussed the importance of continuing our joint efforts to make that the case," Fleischer said. "The heart of their discussion" was the DPRK, but the two did "very briefly" talk about India-Pakistan because Putin had just been in India, the press secretary said. Bush and Putin did not discuss Iraq in the phone conversation, he said.


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4. ROK-US Security Alliance

Washington File ("KOREAN AND U.S. OFFICIALS WORK TO SOLIDIFY SECURITY ALLIANCE," Washington, 12/09/02) reported that the US and ROK remain committed to furthering close cooperation on security issues on the Korean peninsula, according to a joint communique issued December 5 by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his ROK counterpart, ROK Minister of National Defense Lee Jun. Meeting in Washington D.C., Rumsfeld and Lee "agreed on the need to continue to maintain a US presence in the Korean Peninsula and concurred that the alliance will serve to bolster peace and stability in Northeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole," the joint communiqué said. The communiqué was the product of the 34th annual Republic of Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting.


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5. Taiwan on PRC Human Rights

The Associated Press (William Foreman, "TAIWAN FAILS CHINA IN HUMAN RIGHTS," Taipei, 12/09/02) Taiwan issued a human rights report Monday that warned the PRC that relations between the rivals won't progress significantly as long as PRC leaders stifle democracy and human rights. The 67-page document is part of a new Taiwanese strategy to be more aggressive in pressuring the PRC to improve its record on human rights and democracy, said Yen Wan-ching, a top policy maker for PRC relations. "Democracy and human rights are Taiwan's big strategic advantages over China, but in the past Taiwan has not exploited these advantages," said Yen, deputy secretary-general of the Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles Taiwan's relations with the PRC. The foundation released the report. The PRC did not immediately respond to the report.


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6. Iraq Arms Declaration

The Associated Press (Dafna Linzer, "IN SURPRISE MOVE, RUSSIA, BRITAIN, FRANCE, U.S. AND CHINA TO GET UNCENSORED COPY OF IRAQ DECLARATION," United Nation, 12/09/02) reported that in a surprise decision late Sunday, the Security Council agreed to give the US, Russia, France, the PRC, and Britain full access to Iraq's arms declaration, U.N. officials and diplomats said. The other 10 council members, will only see the declaration once it is translated, analyzed and gleaned of sensitive material - including possible instructions on bomb-making. The decision was announced by Colombian Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso, the current Security Council president, who met with chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix late Sunday, several hours after Iraq's long-awaited dossier arrived at U.N. headquarters. "After consultation with the members of the Security Council, the presidency decided to allow access to the Iraqi declaration to those members with the expertise to assess the risk of proliferation and other sensitive information to begin its immediate review," he said. U.N. officials said the only countries with that level of expertise are the five permanent members. Valdivieso said the experts would work "in close coordination and consultation," with weapons inspectors and "will assist them in producing a working version of the declaration as soon as possible."


II. People's Republic of China


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1. PRC-US Relations on Taiwan Issue

People's Daily ("US-TAIWAN MILITARY CO-OPERATION AND EXCHANGES UNACCEPTABLE," 12/04/02, P4) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a regular press briefing on December 3 that PRC will not accept military co-operation or exchanges between US and Taiwan in any form, for such moves would be against the three Sino-US joint communiques. Liu was speaking after the US Congress passed a bill that includes Taiwan-related clauses demanding the US Government to report to the US Congress on the rationality and feasibility of a joint military drill between the US and Taiwan. "Although the Taiwan-related substance of the bill has been weakened, it goes against the US pledge to China on the Taiwan question and has sent new wrong signals to the Taiwan independence force," Liu said in the report. Liu urged the US side to stick to the One-China policy, observe the three Sino-US joint communiqu¨¦s, honor its commitments to opposing Taiwan independence and stop wrongdoings on the Taiwan question to avoid harming Sino-US relations, said the report.


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2. PRC-Russia Relations

China Daily ("VISIT SUCCESSFUL," 12/04/02, P1) reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit was a complete success and has injected new vigor into Sino-Russian relations, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao at a press briefing held on December 3. Liu said PRC President Jiang Zemin and Putin had an overall review of a decade of relations and made strategic plans for the future. "They have reached a wide-ranging consensus after an in-depth discussion on major international issues," said Liu in the report.

China Daily ("NATIONS TO TEAM UP IN TERRORISM FIGHT," 12/04/02, P1) reported that the presidents of PRC and Russia pledged to crack down on all forms of terrorism on a bilateral and multilateral basis in a joint statement on December 3, after condemning Chechen and East Turkistan terrorists. Jiang and Putin spoke highly of the potential of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in conducting anti-terrorism cooperation, and held that this regional agency should start substantial operations as soon as possible. The report said that the joint statement was signed on December 2 after Jiang and Putin had a "fruitful" discussion on international issues as well as bilateral ties. The statement said that the deepening of the strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries is in the long-term interests and the only correct historic choice of the two countries. On the Korean Peninsula issue, the two leaders held that it is crucial to peace and security in Northeast Asia to maintain a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and a system for non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. They emphasized that the US and the DPRK should abide by all agreements signed before, including especially the 1994 framework agreement, according to the report.

China Daily (Shao Zongwei and Meng Yan, "LEADERS DISCUSS TIES WITH PUTIN," 12/03/02, P1) reported that during a meeting of PRC president Jiang Zemin and Russian president Vladimir Putin on December 2, the two leaders expressed their confidence that ties will improve under a good-neighborly treaty signed last year. Jiang said the two countries should continue honoring the existing mechanism of the exchange of high-level visits and regular meetings, adding that the two will strengthen cooperation in military technology as well as military exchanges. Meanwhile Putin said Russia will continue to give priority to its relations with PRC in its foreign policies. According to the report, the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly cooperation has been hailed by PRC and Russia as creating a new type of non-alliance, non-confrontational and not targeting any third country relationship. Putin also met the newly elected General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao and they both agreed to further promote ties to benefit the fundamental interests of the two peoples, democracy in international relations as well as the regional and world peace, the report said.


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3. US-Japan Relations

China Daily ("US RUFUSES TO HAND OVER MARINE," Tokyo, 12/06/02, P11) reported that US refused on December 5 to hand over to the Japanese authorities a US Marine suspected of trying to rape a woman in her car on Okinawa, home to most of the US military bases in Japan.

China Daily ("JAPAN TO SEND AEGIS TO BACK US," Tokyo, 12/05/02, P11) reported that Japan said on December 4 that it will send a destroyer with a high-tech Aegis missile detection system to the Indian Ocean later this month to back up US action in Afghanistan, a step that might cause a row at home. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi ordered the dispatch, set for mid-December, of the state-of-the-art warship, the report said.


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4. Across Taiwan Straits Relations

People's Daily (He Zili, "TAIPEI GAVE APPROVAL FOR INDIRECT CHARTER FLIGHTS AROUND SPRING FESTIVAL," Taipei, 12/06/02) reported that Taiwan authorities gave final approval on December 4 for the indirect charter flights carrying Taiwan businessmen back to Taiwan during the Spring Festival. Only Taiwanese airlines can apply to operate the flights to pick up Taiwanese businessmen and their families living on the mainland. What's more, carriers are required to land either at Pudong or Hongqiao airports in Shanghai and at Chiang Kai-shek or Hsiaokang airports in Taiwan, said the report.

China Daily (Wu Yixue, "EASIER EXCHANGE ENHANCES TRUST," 12/05/02, P4) carried a commentary article saying that following its sincerity on the settlement of the Taiwan question embodied in Jiang Zemin's report to the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the mainland made one more good-will gesture by promulgating an amendment on regulations for Taiwan reporters on December 2, which made it more convenient for Taiwan reporters to do their job on the mainland. The revision of the 1996 Stipulations for Journalists' Mainland News Coverage from Taiwan, empowers local government departments to handle applications from the island's reporters for interviews and news coverage on the mainland. Application procedures will be simplified and more Taiwanese reporters will visit the mainland, the report said. Such move will contribute to a better understanding and more trust, accelerating the process of peaceful reunification between the mainland and island. However, the report said that Taiwan authorities have made no active response to mainland efforts to promote cross-Straits new media exchanges, while on the contrary, laying down numerous obstacles for mainland journalists to visit the island. In the opinion of some Taiwan authorities, disconnecting the island from the mainland and cultivation it in a home-grown sentiment independent of the mainland serves their purpose. But their acts have provoked strong opposition from journalists on both sides, who have urged Taiwan to take sincere and concrete measures to promote the healthy development of cross-Straits press exchanges.


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5. PRC's Attitude towards Korean Peninsula Peace

China Daily (Hu Xiao, "NUKE-FREE PENINSULA BACKED," 12/06/02, P1) reported that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said on December 5 that PRC hoped that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s resolution urging the DPRK to cooperate with an inspection of its nuclear facilities will help realize denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. "China's position on the DPRK issue is consistent. We support and advocate for protecting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," Liu said. Liu's remarks followed the DPRK's announcement of the rejection on December 4 of IAEA's request to "cooperation with the agency with a view to opening immediately all relevant facilities to IAEA inspection" and its urging of the DPRK to "give up any nuclear weapons program, expeditiously and in a verifiable manner". DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun sent a letter to IAEA on December 2, saying it cannot accept the resolution "in any case" and accusing IAEA of handling the nuclear issue unfairly. On December 4, IAEA Director General Mohamed El Baradei expressed the agency's determination to fully implement IAEA safeguards in the DPRK. PRC hopes that all countries concerned will continue to abide by the 1994 agreement on Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities reached in Geneva between US and DPRK, Liu said in the report.


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6. US-PRC Military Relations

China Daily (Hu Xiao, "CHINA AND US SET TO REOPEN MILITARY DIALOGUE," 12/06/02, P1) reported that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu said at a regular press briefing on December 5 that the People's Liberation Army General Staff Deputy Chief Xiong Guangkai will hold talks with US defense officials in Washington early next week. Liu said that the talks are taking place after an October agreement between Jiang and his US counterpart to resume military exchanges soon. In another development, Liu said the US State Department's envoy for democracy and human rights is due in Beijing later this month to reopen human rights dialogue.


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7. US-ROK Relations

People's Daily (Gao Haorong, "ANTI-US RALLIES HELD IN ROK," 12/09/02, P3) reported that rallies were held in memory of the two dead school girls on December 7 in ROK. More than 10,000 citizens held their hands and had a candle light demonstration, asking for the invalidity of the US Army trial, trial of assaulter in the Korean court, direct apology by the US President George W. Bush, and total amendment of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the report said.

China Daily ("ROK GROUP SEEKS APOLOGY FROM BUSH," Seoul, 12/03/02, P12) reported that a civic delegation from ROK left for US on December 2 to demand a direct apology from President George W. Bush over the acquittal of two US soldiers who killed two schoolgirls in a road accident. The seven-member delegation, led by Presbyterian church priest Hong Keun-Soo, said members hope to meet Bush and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan during their 10-day trip. US military authorities issued a statement on December 2 condemning the intrusion and asking that "appropriate legal actions" be taken against the protectors by ROK police and prosecutors. The report said that many Koreans are unhappy that the two acquitted US soldiers walked free and that no one has been held legally responsible for the deaths of the girls. Under an accord between the US and the ROK, US troops here come under US jurisdiction for crimes committed while on duty. ROK civic groups and politicians have urged US to revise the accord. On December 2, 27 lawmakers from rival political parties signed a petition demanding Bush's direct apology. They also vowed to push for a parliamentary resolution demanding the ROK exercise greater jurisdiction on crimes committed by US soldiers, the report said.


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8. US-Russia Relations

People's Daily ("RUSSIAN, US PRESIDENTS TALK ON TELEPHONE," 12/08/02, P3) reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin talked with US President George W. Bush through telephone on December 6, stressing the importance of Russia-US cooperation for the world peace. The two leaders also spoke highly of the recently held meeting, said the report.



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