China and U.S. move to mend their fences

By Oei Eng Goan & Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

SINGAPORE (JP): Washington and Beijing took a step toward mending their ties on Sunday when United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks here on the eve of the sixth Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF).

Relations between China and the U.S. have been strained since the accidental bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade by U.S. warplanes last May.

Albright said that although China demanded a further explanation regarding the bombing, which killed three Chinese journalists and injured dozens of embassy staff, her talks with Tang helped the countries move back in the right direction.

Saying she was satisfied with the restoration of communications between China and the U.S., Albright said: "China wants to see more accountability and we told them that we were ourselves reviewing the situation."

Speaking at a media conference at the Four Seasons Hotel here, Albright reiterated the United States' One China policy, obviously referring to the recent tension between China and Taiwan.

Tang meanwhile said two major issues relating to Sino-U.S. ties were discussed during his meeting with his American counterpart.

Speaking at a separate media briefing at the Hilton Hotel, Tang said discussions with Albright centered around the bombing incident and China's demand that Washington take concrete measures to "create an atmosphere for the improvement of relations and the resolution of the Taiwan question".

Washington sent a delegation to negotiate on the improvement of bilateral ties and a second round of negotiations will begin soon, Tang said, stressing that China was not yet satisfied with the U.S. explanation of the bombing incident, despite Washington's apology.

"Secretary Albright has assured us that Washington does not support the 'One Taiwan, One China' policy. Neither does the United States support Taiwan's membership in any international organization where statehood is required," Tang said.

Tension between Beijing and Taipei resurfaced after Taiwan's President Lee Teng-hui said earlier this month that talks on China-Taiwan relations should take place on a state-to-state basis.

China, which considers Taiwan a renegade province and an integral part of its territory, was enraged by Lee's remark, which it said was an attempt to separate from China and undermine its sovereignty.

"I also implicitly said to Secretary Albright that the United States at this moment should be very careful not to say anything or do anything that may back Taiwan's claim of independence," Tang said.

Albright, expressing her hope that China and Taiwan could resolve their problems peacefully through dialog, said Tang assured her of China's willingness to settle the Taiwan issue peacefully.

But China also reiterated its position that it would not renounce the use of military force if Taiwan declared its independence, Albright said.