Jiang says China is not a threat to the U.S.

JAKARTA (JP): China assured the United States yesterday that the Beijing government will not pose a threat to the Washington administration, either politically and economically, because the two countries share a broad area of cooperation.

During a meeting here yesterday, Chinese President Jiang Zemin told U.S. President Bill Clinton that "China is not an economic rival of the United States but rather a partner for economic cooperation," Chinese government spokesman Chen Jian told a news conference.

The two presidents arrived in Jakarta on Sunday to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting scheduled for tomorrow at the Bogor Palace, with Indonesian President Soeharto acting as host.

Jiang told Clinton that the conditions for developing Sino- U.S. cooperation are now favorable and that China will not engage in an arms race, nor join a military bloc, and hence will not pose a security threat to Washington.

"On the contrary, China wishes to develop trust and cooperation and avoid confrontation with the United States," Chen quoted Jiang as saying.

The Chinese government spokesman said Clinton acknowledged China's statement and that the representatives of both countries agreed on their approach to clearing away North Korea's nuclear program in order to reduce tension on the peninsula.

President Jiang also stated that he was pleased with the agreement that was reached between the United States and North Korea in solving the nuclear issue, Chen said.

Besides meeting Clinton, the Chinese president also held bilateral meetings with South Korean President Kim Young-sam, Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama and Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.

China, which is a close ally of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, assured South Korea that it will play a constructive role to promote peace on the peninsula and that Beijing also supports the idea of a nuclear free peninsula.

Taiwan

During Jiang's talks with Murayama, the Japanese premier reiterated Japan's commitment to continuing to help China's economic reforms, Chen said.

Both Clinton and Murayama also ensured Jiang of their stance on the one China policy, acknowledging the People's Republic of China as the sole representative of China.

The thorny issue of Taiwan resurfaced recently after Washington and Tokyo invited a number of high ranking Taiwan officials to the United States and Japan on several occasions.

"China opposes the U.S. upgrading its ties with Taiwan and China opposes Japan encouraging sports official of Taiwan to Hiroshima to engage in some activities (during the 12th Asian Games), Chen quoted Jiang as telling Clinton and Murayama.

Asked about Jiang's meeting with Keating, the Chinese government spokesman said the two leaders discussed bilateral relations, which have improved rather rapidly over the past few years, as well as the APEC meeting.

Jiang said that China supports the long-term goal of APEC, an economic cooperation forum whose members comprise Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the U.S. and Chile.

"We support the objective of achieving trade liberalization by the year 2020. The dates for achieving the goal should be different for different members of APEC, in the light of each member's condition," the spokesman quoted Jiang as telling Keating. (ego)