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American Morning

U.S.-China Meeting in Beijing Ends With no Statement

Aired April 18, 2001 - 11:18   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. delegation met with Chinese officials in Beijing today. The purpose of the meeting was to try and discuss the military plane collision that led to the detention of 24 U.S. crewmembers. Those crewmembers now are obviously home. The plane is not.

With more on this, let's bring in our John King, who is at the White House. John, you're getting word of how this meeting went, and it does not appear like it went that well.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Not well at all from the U.S. side, Daryn. Indeed, the U.S. now saying that it sees no reason to have a second meeting unless the Chinese government changes its tone for these discussions.

We're told the key point was about two hours into the talks. The U.S. team brought up its request that it be allowed to repair and retrieve that EP-3 surveillance plane, of course still sitting on the tarmac in Hainan Island, and we're told at that point that the Chinese side would not discuss that in any substantive or productive at all, according to U.S. officials.

So, because of that, even though the Chinese state news agency has already announced these discussions will continue tomorrow, Thursday in Beijing, we're told the U.S. ambassador will go to Chinese foreign minister in the morning and say the United States sees no reason to continue the discussions unless China is willing to discuss the return of that plane immediately.

Now the meeting went on about two-and-a-half hours. The agenda limited to the issues surrounding those surveillance flights, not just the collision but what the U.S. believes has been dangerous Chinese fighter pilot conduct before the collisions, and the United States also believes that's what led to this collision.

But, remember, the White House had also made clear tone and tenor of these discussions would go a long in determining how U.S.-China relations proceeded from this point, after this very tense 11-day standoff. So, from the U.S. side frustration, some surprise today, and they're saying that meeting at the Chinese foreign ministry tomorrow now very critical.

The U.S. side saying it will come home, its delegation will leave Beijing, unless the Chinese are willing to negotiate for the return of that EP-3 surveillance plane.

KAGAN: And, John, from an American perspective at least, this would appear to be a surprise because wasn't the agenda and the topics that both sides agreed to talk about -- wasn't that set up before the meeting began?

KING: That's why U.S. officials say they're a little surprised. The question is, in the U.S. mind, did the Chinese go in with a hard line in this first meeting for domestic political consumption back home in China.

If so, if that was the reason, then the U.S. side believes when Ambassador Preuher goes to the foreign ministry that perhaps all this will be resolved tomorrow, and if so, the discussions will continue, and today's meeting would be considered a blip.

But the U.S. side quite adamant that they will have to see a very different tone from the Chinese for these discussions to continue, and, of course, if the discussions break off, given all the other things going right now in the U.S.-China relationship, that would be quite a troubling incident, indeed.

KAGAN: John King at the White House. John, thank you.

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