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CNN Live Saturday

Colin Powell Meets With Chinese Leaders

Aired July 28, 2001 - 15:05   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: Secretary of State Colin Powell in China today, during his tour of Asia. He's presenting a positive image of U.S.-China relations, but there are some prickly points between the two countries. CNN State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel has details from Beijing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At odds for months, the image now presented by China and the United States: cordial and friendly.

This was Secretary of State Powell's first trip to Beijing in more than 17 years. Its purpose: to begin a new chapter in U.S.-China relations. But smiles aside, it quickly became clear significant differences remain on human rights and weapons proliferation. China's leaders refusing to accept U.S. allegations that Beijing continuing to export nuclear capable ballistic missiles, in violation of a pledge China made last year.

Secretary Powell says experts talks on export control policies would begin soon.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: And so, I think we move the ball forward. There is still some outstanding issues to be resolved and some places where we don't have full agreement.

KOPPEL: Secretary Powell's arrival in Beijing follows the sudden release earlier this week of several Chinese-born scholars with links to the United States, a not-so-subtle attempt by Beijing to improve the atmosphere.

SUN YUXI, FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN (through translator): After a period of difficulty, now we're witnessing significant momentum.

KOPPEL: During meetings with Chinese leaders, Mr. Powell said he didn't raise specific human rights cases, but indicated the two sides agreed to resume a human rights dialogue in the near future.

That's not the news Ho Shing Tong (ph) had hoped to hear. Her husband Chinese dissident Chu Yan Li (ph) has been in prison for almost three years, and she says he's ill with hepatitis.

"I am hoping Mr. Powell will talk to the Chinese government during his visit and release my husband on humanitarian grounds," she says. "He shouldn't have been sentenced for his political view point in the first place."

(on camera): But despite the lack of progress on issues of greatest concern to the U.S., human rights and ending Chinese proliferation, Secretary of State Powell chose not to dwell on these differences and instead went out of his way to make sure his visit ended on a positive note, with both sides looking forward to upcoming high-level U.S. visits, including one by President Bush this fall.

Andrea Koppel, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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