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CNN Live Saturday

Colin Powell Visits China

Aired July 28, 2001 - 13:05   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The United States and China are trying to put recent tensions behind them and move toward better relations. Secretary of State Colin Powell stopped in Beijing for 24 hours, where he met today with senior Chinese leaders, including the president of China.

Among the issues under discussion was the sale of Chinese weapons and missile technology to Pakistan, Iran and North Korea. Secretary Powell said the talks were productive, and also touched on U.S. plans to build a missile defense system.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Moving forward with missile defense is part of a restructured strategic architecture. Why that made sense, and why we shouldn't hang onto old concepts and old treaties if they are not relevant to the present. They listened carefully, and I'm sure we'll have many more conversations on this subject, because they have a different view of it. But that's why friends talk to each other and consult with one another.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KELLEY: The Bush administration got off to a bit of a rocky start with China, so Secretary Powell's trip is enormously important to the White House. Our Kelly Wallace has that part of the story for us. Kelly, what is the purpose and the importance of this trip?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, really, Donna, the purpose of this trip was to lay the ground work for President Bush's visit this October to meet with Chinese leaders. So, Secretary Powell there meeting with Chinese leaders, kind of a preview before President Bush is to go there in the fall.

Also, to deal with two issues of concern on the part of the administration. One: human rights, the Chinese saying that they would continue dialogue with the American administration about human rights concerns; and number two, that there would be missile talks between the two countries to talk about, as you mentioned in our lead-in, U.S. concerns about the sale by China of missile technologies to countries that are developing nuclear weapons, so those discussions likely to ensue before the president's trip this fall.

KELLEY: At this point, what are you hearing? How are U.S. officials assessing the relationship with China?

WALLACE: Well, they certainly seem to be more upbeat now. Secretary Powell, after a day of meetings in Beijing, sounding very much upbeat. U.S. officials here at the White House also sounding more positive.

Relations did get off to a rocky start. The administration was sort of taking a tougher line with China than the previous administration, referring to China as a strategic competitor rather than a strategic partner, as Bill Clinton used to refer to China. Also, you had the incidents, you had the American surveillance plane incident, you had China detaining a number of scholars. China has gone ahead and released two of those Chinese scholars with ties to the U.S.

So, there is a sense that relations are sort of moving forward, but no one is saying that there are not difficulties ahead, particularly when it comes to human rights and missile talks between the two countries.

KELLEY: All right, Kelly Wallace at the White House, thanks. President going there in October. Thank you.

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