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CNN Saturday Morning News

China Reports Plane Built in Seattle for Zemin is Bugged

Aired January 19, 2002 - 07:05   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: There are reports today that President -- the president of China's official aircraft is full of the -- the aircraft is full of bugs. And all say that a Boeing 767 built in Seattle for President Jiang Zemin was bugged with satellite- operated listening devices. President Jiang, of course, is furious, but there's been no comment yet from the White House.

Let's get the latest now from CNN Beijing bureau chief Jamie Florcruz -- Jamie.

JAMIE FLORCRUZ, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Good evening from frigid Beijing.

We have not been able to independently confirm these Western reports about the bugging of the presidential plane. It's Saturday here, and government offices are closed. We have been able to talk with Chinese sources and analysts, many of whom were shocked and surprised about these reports. Some of them think that it's incredulous that the U.S. would try to do such, as one of them put it, "a harebrained idea."

However, a Chinese government official we talked with says that even if this were true, this will not detract the Chinese from focusing of the main -- on the major issues between the U.S. and China. They say that China will remain focused on major issues when President Bush comes to Beijing next month. And the focus will be that the U.S. should assure China that it will not support Taiwan independence, and it will not contain China and prevent it from becoming a strong and prosperous nation.

These Western reports, however, obviously makes it more difficult for President Bush to do that.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you.

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