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American Morning

U.S./China Relations: U.S. Diplomats Arrive in Beijing

Aired April 17, 2001 - 10:10   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in other news this morning, U.S. diplomats are now in Beijing and they are just hours away from the start of all-important talks with their Chinese counterparts. At stake here is not only the U.S. surveillance plane still being held by Chinese officials, but also the future course of relations between the two countries.

CNN's senior White House correspondent John King joins us now. He's got the latest for us from the White House -- John, good morning.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Leon, good morning to you.

Preparations in Beijing for that meeting, preparations here at the White House as well. Just moments ago the White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer telling reporters that it is President Bush's hope that this is a constructive meeting and that he hopes the Chinese delegation enters with that goal in mind as well.

Now, CNN is told by senior U.S. officials that the U.S. delegation, eight members, will make clear to the Chinese that the United States plans to resume those surveillance flights in the very near future and also make the case that Washington expects Beijing to order its pilots to back off.

Now, we're told the U.S. delegation will enter these discussions with four very clear goals. Number one, to make clear that the United States believes that China is to blame for the collision. Number two, discuss ways to avoid future incidents. Number three, to ask what we're told will be tough questions about the tactics of Chinese pilots in the past. We're also told the U.S. delegation carrying video of Chinese pilots in the past coming very close to those surveillance flights. And fourth and finally, the U.S. side will ask for permission to send a crew to Hainan Island to repair and retrieve that EP-3 surveillance plane.

Now, White House officials saying they don't expect breakthroughs in one meeting, but they are looking at this meeting to test the tone and the tenor of the Chinese side after this very tense 11 day stand- off, preparations here in Washington for that meeting as well. The president's national security team, the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, and the secretary of state, Colin Powell, will meet here at the White House this afternoon to review the strategy for that meeting in Beijing tomorrow and also to review the president's options for another very important issue that will affect the tenor of U.S.-China relations, the pending sale of U.S. arms to Taiwan.

The president has about another week before a Taiwanese delegation arrives at the Pentagon for a briefing. On the table, the sale of many sophisticated U.S. weapons systems Taiwan wants. Indeed, the Arleigh Burke class destroyers. They're equipped with the Aegis radar system. Most U.S. officials believe the president will order some Aegis cruisers put into production, but not immediately sold to Taiwan. But the national security team will review those options here today. Again, the president with about a week to decide and U.S. officials saying he's watching tomorrow's meeting very closely to see how U.S.-China relations proceed after the stand-off -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right, thanks much, John King at the White House this morning.

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