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American Morning

President Bush in China

Aired February 21, 2002 - 07:09   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to move on to the issue of China now. This morning President Bush is in China, the final stop on a six day diplomatic trek across East Asia. Already a busy day. The president has met with China's President Jiang Zemin and discussed a wide range of issues, from weapons proliferation to the longstanding dispute over Taiwan.

And CNN senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president. He joins us now from Beijing -- good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good evening to you from Beijing, Paula.

Mr. Bush, the guest of honor at a dinner here in Beijing tonight hosted by the Chinese president, Jiang Zemin. A great deal of symbolism for this summit. It's only a day and a half long, but it comes on the 30th anniversary of Richard Nixon's landmark trip here to establish the U.S.-China relationship.

So a great deal of symbolism and a great deal of an effort by both leaders to portray an image of stability and maturity, making clear yes, there are many differences between Washington and Beijing, but, yes, these two leaders saying they can have candid discussions about them and make progress on areas where they do agree because of the strength now of this relationship.

Differences clear. You see Mr. Bush and Jiang Zemin reviewing the troops, the welcoming ceremony in the Great Hall of the People. Mr. Bush wanted most from this trip an agreement from China to curb dramatically its exports of missile technology and other sensitive military technologies, especially to countries like Iran and Pakistan. U.S. officials had hoped coming in they would get that agreement, the United States side today making clear they would not get that deal while here.

China still resisting adopting a very tough export law. Also, we are told, the sticking point, the United States, China, excuse me, wants a grandfather clause, wants to be able to fulfill any existing contracts for weapons to other countries. So those negotiations continue.

At a joint news conference also, a remarkable display on the issue of religion and human rights. Mr. Bush, in the private conversations, we are told, urged President Jiang to open a dialogue with the Vatican, to open a dialogue with religious groups in this country who say they are being persecuted. And at that news conference in public, Mr. Bush said it was important that China press ahead and adopt more political and religious freedoms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: China's future is for the Chinese people to decide, yet no nation is exempt from the demands of human dignity. All the world's people, including the people of China, should be free to choose how they live, how they worship and how they work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Twice President Jiang simply ignored the question when U.S. reporters asked him about the issue of religious freedom and specifically about the jailings of many Catholic bishops in this country. But near the end of the news conference, he decided he would answer those questions, President Jiang defending the arrests, but also suggesting that he had very little to do with the policy that landed those bishops in prison.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Whatever religion people believe in, they have to abide by the law. So some of the law breakers have been detained because of their violation of law, not because of their religious belief. Although I'm the president of this country, I have no right interfering in the judicial affairs because of judicial independence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Mr. Bush looked on intently during that exchange, when President Jiang said he had no religious faith, but he had read the bible, read the Koran, read other religious documents and scriptures. He said he met with religious leaders in this country. He insisted there was a great deal of respect here for religion in China. Obviously, though, that one of the big differences between the president and his hosts here.

But overall both leaders trying to downplay the differences, both choosing very muted language on the issue of Taiwan, a thorn in the relationship in the past. President Jiang passing up an opportunity to publicly air his country's criticism about the U.S.' tough posture toward Iraq and others, both leaders trying to project an image of stability and as part of that effort Mr. Bush announcing not only will President Jiang come to the United States later this year, but President Jiang leaves office next year. His heir apparent is the vice president, Hu Jintao. Mr. Jintao will meet Mr. Bush here in Beijing tomorrow and he also will pay a courtesy call on the White House before the year is out -- Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks for covering so much territory for us this morning, John King. Appreciate it.

The big question this hour, will China be a partner in the war on terror? We're going to talk about the president's Beijing summit and the state of relations between the U.S. and China with Admiral Joseph Prueher, former commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Command and a former ambassador to China. He joins us now from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Thank you, sir, very much for joining us this morning on A.M.

ADM. JOSEPH PRUEHER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, FORMER COMMANDER, U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND: Good morning, Paula. Nice to be with you.

ZAHN: Our pleasure. I don't know how much of John King's report you could catch, but he essentially said that both President Bush and President Jiang Zemin tried to downplay their differences. And yet it is clear that Mr. Bush goes home without getting China to agree to some sort of controlling of their weapons production. How big of a defeat is that?

PRUEHER: Well, I did, was able to see what John said and he covered a lot of territory there, as you pointed out. I think the president's trip comes in a climate where they have tried to put the emphasis on what is positive about the U.S.-China relationship and the, sort of the clear menu of areas where we can cooperate, and to discuss the differences which are there, as you pointed out earlier, and John pointed out, on religious issues and those of some other human rights, as well.

But the menu of things that we can cooperate on is very strong. And I think the point of non-proliferation is one where there has been a momentum shift and the Chinese non-proliferation is less than it was, but it is still more than we would like to see it, and I think, perhaps, more than they might like to see it, as well.

So conversations and dialogue and moving forward on non- proliferation, I think it still will be in a positive trend, though not coming away with a signed agreement after the president's visit there is a disappointment.

ZAHN: Yes, I know John King was saying that negotiations continued and yet I would love for you to put this in perspective for us this morning. Because not coming home with a deal comes very shortly after the president's axis of evil speech and clearly, what was it, a day after that the CIA actually reported that China was supplying not only missile technology to North Korea, but to Iran, as well.

How troubled are you by that?

PRUEHER: Well, it is a problem. As I pointed out, I think the proliferation from China is less than it was. It used to be quite a bit more. After May of 1999 -- or May of 2000 with the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, all the dialogue stopped and talking about these things and trying to get China to decrease their proliferation.

And so the world situation and the climate has changed after September 11, the aftermath, and our presence in Central Asia. The chemical balance between Afghanistan and Pakistan and India, those balances have changed. And so I think as China accommodates to that, we will see progress.

But again, it's a disappointment. But I would not categorize it as a defeat. I think it's progress toward non-proliferation, because we've only...

ZAHN: And you were not -- oh, sorry. Sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off there.

PRUEHER: No, we've just restarted that dialogue in the, just in the last year. And so it's making some progress. And I know the administration is working hard on it.

ZAHN: Well, Admiral Prueher, it's always a delight to see you and we really appreciate your dropping by our show this morning.

PRUEHER: All right, thank you, Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks for your time.

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