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North Korea Off.: Satellite Successfully Launched Into Space; Rescuers Still Searching for Survivors After Strong Earthquake in Taiwan; Poll: Trump Coming Out on Top of Rivals in New Hampshire. Aired 3-3:30a ET

Aired February 07, 2016 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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NATALIE ALLEN, "CNN NEWSROOM" ANCHOR: North Korea says it launched a satellite into orbit but its neighbors and the U.S. are skeptical of Pyongyang's motive.

A day after a strong earthquake in Taiwan, rescuers are still searching for survivors as anxious relative of the missing look on and hope.

And in the race for the White House, the dust settles from the final Republican debate before Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire. We'll shake it down for you and tell you how it went.

Hello everyone, we're live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Natalie Allen.

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The U.S. strategic command has detected two new objects in earth's orbit. This comes after North Korean media celebrated what they claim was a successful launch of a satellite. But around the world the launch has been roundly criticized and it is widely believed to be a front for a long-range missile test. This all comes less than one month after Pyongyang announced to what is says was a test of a hydrogen bomb. A video there of the rocket going up just a few hours ago.

We're covering the story from all across the region, CNN's Alexandra Field is in Beijing for us, and Paula Hancocks is in Seoul. And Paula you've been there, following this ever since it happened about seven hours ago, and North Korea was very quick to put out a response.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. North Korea has claimed it was a successful satellite launch, they say that they carried it out at 9:00 this morning, as you say about seven hours ago now. And they say that it took 9 minutes and 46 seconds for the satellite to enter orbit. As far as they're concerned it was a great success, the news (ph). They're also saying that they will launch many more satellites, showing photos of Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader in the control center celebrating with the scientists, smiling with the scientists, they clapping, you see photos of the rocket itself.

And certainly, as far as North Korea is concerned it has been a great success. We are still waiting for official confirmation outside of North Korea, but as you say we know from U.S. strategic command that they have detected two objects in orbit. The South Korean defense ministry though says that they're still assessing whether or not it was successful. But it almost doesn't matter whether or not it was successful, the fact that they carried out this satellite launch is enough in itself to merit the amount of international condemnation we have heard from across the world today.

South Korean's President Park Geun-hye, saying it's a challenge to world piece. And you hear the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe condemning it as well. The White House took less than an hour to condemn this test, they all see it a front for a long-range missile test. They reject Pyongyang's claim that it is in fact part of a peaceful space program. Natalie.

ALLEN: Yes, and Paula, you've been based in Seoul for quite sometime and follow all the provocations that happen across the DMZ there. Just, how unusual is it that Pyongyang would carryout a rocket launch just a month after this test that they say was for a hydrogen bomb?

ALLEN: Well this is the forth satellite launch that they've done. We had one in 1998, 2009 and then two in 2012. So, it's certainly not unusual to have these satellite launches, it's the only -- the second one as far as the rest of the world is concerned that was successful if in fact it turned out to be successful. December 2012, they believe that there was something put up into orbit as well, North Korea says it was a working satellite, they say that this time as well.

So it's not unusual for it to be paired as well with a nuclear test. We've seen these acts before, back in 2013 we have that nuclear test as well. The thinking here is that, because they have done a nuclear test and the international community still discussing sanctions, is that, Pyongyang may have decided to get one of these satellite launches in before those sanctions are decided so maybe they only have one round of sanctions. They know that the condemnation is out there, they know that it can only increase.

But quite frankly Beijing is dragging its heels on the sanctions, so maybe Pyongyang took a gamble and decided that this was the right time to do this. And of course, bear in mind they also have a very important worker's party congress coming up in May, the first in 36 years. So that could have been the thinking behind it as well, but Kim Jong-un wanted to be able to boast of a nuclear test and also a satellite launch. Natalie.

[03:09:00] ALLEN: Yes, it's always the world has to guess and speculate as to exactly the motivations there. Paula Hancocks, we appreciate you helping us there.

Now, let's turn to Beijing and Alexandra Field. And, the government in Beijing has issued a response. So what can you tell us Alexandra?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, you've got governments all over the world issuing response so Beijing, of course, adding their voice to this, saying that they regret North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology to launch this rocket. What does that regret translate to in terms of action? Well, this statement goes on to say that they government in Beijing is calling for all parties involved to exercise calm and restraint, and they are reiterating their position that the best path for peace and stability is through dialogue, consultation, negotiations.

And certainly Natalie on the face of it, it doesn't sound like a whole lot of translation into any action. Beijing has repeatedly said that there cannot be sanctions simply for the sake of sanctions. That is the response to the U.S.'s position that Beijing is in a position to exercise some of its influence over North Korea by choking off more of its economy. You have the U.S. Secretary of State traveling to Beijing just a week ago urging Beijing to take a stronger stand here. Of course Beijing has to calculate the impact of a stronger stand on its own concerns. There are two neighbors that we're talking about here in the region, Beijing and China -- Beijing -- China and North Korea rather.

China obviously does not want to invite a crisis on its doorstep by destabilizing this regime. So, that's why they've repeated this line that you can't have sanctions just for the sake of sanctions, they've got their own interest to take into account here. At the same time Pyongyang is acting with very little regard for China it seems, with these series of provocations. First of all you got this rocket launch coming on the eve of the Lunar New Year, which is the biggest holiday here in China. It also comes just a week after China dispatched a senior official to North Korea to urge to North Korea to show some restraint.

And, it comes just a month after that reported H-bomb test from Pyongyang, after which, Pyongyang had not given any advance warning to Beijing about that test, that added to some of the perturbance of certainly being felt in Beijing and would be increased right now, of course. Natalie.

ALLEN: Well, it will be interesting to see what this does, these are the -- now on with the U.S. and China and its response to this. China does seem to use heighten (ph) maneuver on North Korea, more times than not. Alexandra, thanks for your reporting for us from Beijing.

Well, as she said, world governments of course reacting, Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. quickly calling for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, it is now set to late Sunday morning.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said, and we quote, "The United States strongly condemns today's missile launch by the DPRK, a flagrant violation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions related to the DPRK use of ballistic missile technology.

Japan's Primi Minister Shinzo Abe calls North Korea's rocket launch totally unacceptable. And he says he will do whatever necessary to protect his country.

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SHINZO ABE, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translation): North Korea has conducted a missile launch despite repeated urging by the government of Japan as well as the international community to exercise self-restraint. This is totally unacceptable. Today's missile launch which follows a recent nuclear test is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. We will resolutely take measures, acting in cooperation with the international community. We intend to take all possible measures to ensure the safety and the peace of mind of the Japanese people.

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ALLEN: China's foreign ministry is warning that North Korea's rocket launch risks worsening tensions on the Korean peninsula. Victor Gao is the Director of the China National Association of International Studies, he was also a translator to China's former leader Deng Xiaoping. He joins us on the line from New York.

Victor, thanks for being with us. What are your initial reactions to this provocation, yet another one by North Korea, and the initial response from China?

VICTOR GAO, FMR. TRANSLATOR TO DENG XIAOPING: Thank you very much for having me. On the one hand, the missile launch by the DPRK is a clear and very serious provocation, and it's a threat to not only disability on the Korean Peninsula but far beyond its border and also directly threaten its -- all the neighboring countries. And, it will make the situation on the Korean Peninsula much worse and it's pushing the situation on the Korean Peninsula more and more the direction of a showdown and the confrontation.

[03:10:04] On the other hand, I think the international community including the United Nation Security Council and all (inaudible) in particular, China and the United States should remain committed to achieving the ultimate goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It is a difficult situation, I admit, but it is exactly at times like this that we need to have greater wisdom, leadership and courage to deal with threats like this. And, I don't think DPRK can attempt to hold the international community hostage by repeated testing of atomic devices as well missile launch vehicles.

ALLEN: Can you tell us ...

GAO: However, the other hand I think it definitely will take cooperation between China and United States' courage (ph) to really achieve the goal of denuclearization over Korean Peninsula. And in this sense, I think the United States need to demonstrate to the fullest extend possible, to China its full willingness to cooperate with China on this particular situation.

ALLEN: Well I wanted to ask you Victor, when you say courage, give us the specifics, what does courage look like, what are the actions that make up courage in a situation like this when you say the world could very well be seeing a possible confrontation?

GAO: Yeah, if you allow me to talk about the courage which will be required from the United States for example, you mentioned and Secretary of State John Kerry wanting Beijing, talking about decision matters (ph), just a few days ago. However, in the immediate aftermath of John Kerry's departure from Beijing, the United States did the unthinkable, that is to send its navy ship into the territorial water of an Island that China fully controls in the West China Sea. And Shisha (ph) Island as we call it.

And, in that sense, I think this create a lot of complex messages as far as the Chinese government can tell, and the United States is asking China to fully cooperate with United States in (inaudible) nuclear weapon system in DPRK but on the other hand the United States is putting more and more pressure on China in the South China including the Shisha (ph) Island situation as well as the Nansha Island situation. Therefore I don't think this is an action of courage on the part of the United States, it's actually a lack of courage.

And I will -- I do no thin that China and the United States can move to the full extend of cooperation in dealing with the DPRK nuclear weapons threat of United States could not project a consistent message to China. You cannot have a fabricate (ph) and edict as the same time you cannot expect China to fully cooperate with any major international issues in the world, including the nuclear weapons with the DPRK while you keep provoking China on the other hand, on issues which China consider our vital interest as national interest.

ALLEN: But doesn't -- isn't it true though Victor that China and the U.S. have conflicts on many fronts regarding the relationship, that is certainly one aspect, the islands being under contention, but at the same time what responsibility does China bear out that the North Korea's Kim Jong-un continues to step over the line without reservation it seems.

GAO: You're right, China has the (inaudible) all these years, on facilitating for (inaudible) party talks, China has made its position very clearly known not only to DPRK but to the whole international community, that China fully supports denuclearization program on the Korean Peninsula and will not recognize DPRK as a nuclear weapon state. And I think China will continue to do the right thing and will continue to cooperate fully with the international community in achieving this ultimate goal.

On the other hand, I would say that we need to really get into the same page. If China and United States are divided, either by themselves or by a third-party, in this particular case DPRK and cannot move on to the same page, then we'll remain divided, on the situation of DPRK, in the nuclear weapon program by DPRK will continue to deteriorate. I don't think any real substantive effect can be achieved unless Washington and Beijing really commit themselves to fully cooperating with each other in dealing with DPRK nuclear threat. This is the bottom-line and I hope China and United States will become wiser, more courageous (inaudible) going forward in conducting on this job as well in dealing with themselves in achieving this ultimate very important goal.

[02:15:08] ALLEN: Yes, and further complicate things perhaps, it is an election year in United States, we appreciate your comments Victor Gao, Director of the China National Association of International Studies, thank you for joining us.

Well in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake in Taiwan, you will hear from families clinging to hope their loved ones somehow survived, that's next.

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ALLEN: We want to turn now to Taiwan where more than 70 people remain unaccounted for after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck early Saturday. This is the moment you're about to see that a 7-year-old boy, right there was pulled from a massive pile of rubbles, he survived. An apartment building completely collapsed on him and many others. At least 20 people have died.

Since the earthquake hit families have been patiently waiting or impatiently waiting the rescues operations, clinging to hope of course their relative will be rescued next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YUN QING-SHANG, RELATIVE OF MISSING PERSON (through translation): We have two apartments, on the sixth and the eight floor, that means they are in the deeper parts of the debris, of course our rescue schedule bill be slower than others but we can understand it because it can't be fast, nothing can be achieved by rushing things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Evelyn Chen is a reporter with Taiwan Network SETTV and she joins us now on the phone, she there on Tainan where these rescue efforts continue, and how is going and how is it looking there Evalyn as far as the chance for more survivors?

EVELYN CHEN, SETTV NEWS: Yes, this is Evelyn Chen from the SETTV (ph) news Taiwan. And we are still at a scene in Tainan right now just in front of the north side of this seven-story collapsed building. And their is ambulance right now waiting here, we've been told that they are going to save one more life here, so what we are seeing, they are using ladders and, like a -- use ladders to try to pull one woman inside (ph). The rescue effort here is over 36 hours already, but they are still (inaudible) although there are lots of venues (ph).

The rescuers, one of the rescuers told us that they have located three people there, and, yesterday as I mentioned, a young man (ph) told us that waiting here for his aunt. And, the woman is -- his aunt's eight people family is trapped and today there is a light of hope, he told us today, the rescuer found three people of his auntie's family, including his auntie, and she can still respond to the rescuer and say her name (ph).

ALLEN: Yes. [03:20:03] CHEN: Incredible. And, the rescue team also used, threads (ph) ladders and equipment to the ruins (ph) and so far they have found 196 people already.

ALLEN: And Evelyn, how many people are still unaccounted for in that collapsed 17-story building?

CHEN: The official numbers say (inaudible) of this here. And they say about more than 100 are found here.

ALLEN: Well we certainly hope that they continue to find more people. And she just reported they are rescuing a women who apparently is alive right at this moment. Evelyn Chen, thank you so much, we'll stay in touch with you.

Up next here, U.S. Republican presidential candidates face off in their final debate before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. And Marco Rubio was in the direct line of fire.

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ALLEN: We turn to the race for the White House now, just two days left until the New Hampshire primary. The latest CNN/WMUR poll shows Donald Trump coming out on top of his Republican rivals in the state, holding an 11-point lead over Marco Rubio. On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders is leading Hillary Clinton by a two to one margin.

The Republican candidates duked it out in their final debate before Tuesday's primary. Frontrunner Donald Trump pitched his "Make America great again" motto. Saying he knows how to deal with China.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We don't win anymore, our country doesn't anymore, we're going with Trump and people backed down with Trump and that's what I like and that's what the country is going to like.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Trump, thank you.

TRUMP: I deal with the Chinese of the time, I do tremendous -- the largest bank in the world is one of my buildings in Manhattan, I deal with them, they tell me, they have total absolute control practically of North Korea.

ALLEN: That of course his response to the news about North Korea's rocket launch. Well, Chris Christie in the meantime fired away at this man Marco Rubio, criticizing his label of experience and knocking him for what he calls a memorized speech.

CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I like Marco Rubio, and he's a smart person and a good guy but he simply does not have the experience to be president of the United States and make these decisions. We've watched it happen everybody, for the last sever years, the people of New Hampshire are smart, do not make the same mistake again. MARCO RUBIO, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This country already has debt problem, we don't need to add to it by electing someone who has experience at running up and destroying the credit rating of his state. But I would add this, let's dispel with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing, he knows exactly what he's doing.

First your state got a massive snowstorm two weeks ago you didn't even want to go back. They had to shame you into going back. And then you stayed there for 36 hours and then you left and came back to campaign, those are the facts.

[03:25:04] Here's the bottom-line, this notion that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing is just not ...

CHRISTIE: There it is. There it is. The memorized 25-second speech. There it is everybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: As we said, duking it out. I spoke earlier with CNN Political Commentator and a Trump supported Jeffrey Lord about the debate and who he thinks came out on top.

JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well I think Donald Trump did very well. I mean, at this point he's been through what? Five, six debates whatever it is. All he had to do basically is be there and express his point of view. Everybody knows pretty much where he is on these issues. What was interesting I though was that the governors, former Governor Bush, Governor Kasich, Governor Christie seem to be the one having a good night at Marco Rubio's expense.

So, I think that Donald Trump did well. I think he's still in the lead here in New Hampshire although, you know, New Hampshire voters are notoriously independent. I'm a New Englander myself and I can attest that independence. The question is whether somebody will come in second to Donald Trump who is one of the so-called lower card from the earlier debates but, you know, it won't -- could Governor Kasich grab second or former Governor Bush or Governor Christie? If that did that would do real damage to Marco Rubio and Senator Cruz as well.

ALLEN: A lot of Americans watching that debate in the past few hours. Well tomorrow, it's safe to say a lot of Americans will be watching football because it is Super Bowl Sunday here in the U.S., and what does that mean? Well take a look at the number. 114 million, that's how many people in the U.S. watched the game last year, making it the most watched telecast of all time. $5 million, that's the cost of a 30-second T.V. commercial for this year's game. Also record but, hey, they're always worth it.

$4.2 billion is how much money is expected to bet on the game, most of it illegally according to the American Gambling Association. A bonus of $102 will be paid to players on the winning team. Losers will get just $51,000 each. And early $5,000, that is the average cost of a ticket to see Super Bowl 50 in person, making it the most expensive sporting event in U.S. history. And just to add, about $10 will get you some beer and chips to watch the game, that's the deal.

Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Natalie Allen.

Erin Burnett, "OutFront" is up next here and your top stories right after this.

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ALLEN: This is CNN News Now. I'm Natalie Allen. The U.S. military says it has detected two new objects orbiting the earth, that's after North Korea claimed to have successfully launched a satellite. Japan, the U.S. and South Korea say it was all a cover for a long-range missile test.

South Korea calls North Korea's rocket launch a severe threat against peace and instability in the Asia Pacific region. Seoul says it plans to meet with the U.S. to discuss deploying a U.S. anti-ballistic missile system on the Korean Peninsula. It can be used to intercept ballistic missiles in flight. China strongly opposes that.

And more than 70 people remain unaccounted for in Taiwan after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake. Rescuers in Tainan are desperately searching for survivors.

On Saturday, a seven-year-old boy was pulled from a mountain of wreckage that used to be a 17-story apartment building. He was alive. It's -- 20 people though have died.

That is the latest news from CNN, now Erin Burnett, "OutFront" is next. Thanks for watching.