US-China spat bubbles up

BEIJING, FEB 12: The Sino-US relations are currently going through a period of turbulence and it will require efforts from both sides to ...

BEIJING, FEB 12: The Sino-US relations are currently going through a period of turbulence and it will require efforts from both sides to stabilise the momentum gained after US President Bill Clinton8217;s landmark visit to China last June.

8220;After a short honeymoon, the complicated China-US relations are facing a period of turbulence with no clear-cut directions emerging from Washington in the face of some strong opposition from Republicans to Clinton8217;s engagement policy towards China,8221; analysts said.

8220;Clinton8217;s pre-occupation with the sex scandal has also pushed US-China relations into a corner and it will take some time and effort for the two sides to stabilise the momentum gained after the landmark Clinton visit,8221; they said.

The analysts said the upcoming visit of US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to China will be the first major initiative this year by the two sides to review the ups and downs in bilateral relations and interests.Albright8217;s visit to China from March 1, is to make preparationsfor premier Zhu8217;s upcoming visit to the United States, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.

Both sides have arranged a series of Chinese and US officials visits recently to exchange views on bilateral relations and regional and international issues, she said.

Zhu, will be visiting Washington at the invitation of US President.Albright will have a busy schedule here with a number of important bilateral and international issues to be tackled with the Chinese side, especially with her counterpart Tang Jiaxuan.

China8217;s reported missile deployment against Taiwan and Washington8217;s plan to shield its ally from Beijing8217;s threatening postures will come up high on the agenda of the Tang-Albright talks.

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Albright will also discuss China8217;s recent crackdown on dissidents, reports of continued violation of promises of non-proliferation and Beijing8217;s 13-year-long bid to join the World Trade Organisation, analysts said.Meanwhile, China has strongly opposed Washington8217;s reported plans to include Taiwanunder the proposed Theatre Missile Defence TMD system to be developed by the US and Japan.

8220;The TMD system proposed by Washington threatened stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific region and risked damaging China-US ties,8221; Zhang said yesterday.

8220;Including Taiwan in any form in the TMD system would constitute violation of international law, the three Sino-US joint communiques and would lay obstacles to the development and improvement of bilateral relations,8221; she said.

8220;It would also be counterproductive to peace and stability in Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region,8221; Zhang added.