The Hindu : China objects to U.S. missile defence plan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 20, 2002

International

International

China objects to U.S. missile defence plan

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE Dec. 19. China today took exception to the move by the United States President, George W. Bush, to hasten the deployment of an early version of a missile defence system by 2004.

In expressing concern over the American strategy, China underlined that the Bush plan "should not affect global strategic stability nor harm international and regional security''.

While the comment on these lines by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, in Beijing left some room for speculation about China's own priorities as regards its opposition to the U.S. plans, the spokesman emphasised the need for international cooperation to address, effectively, all types of threats that weapons of mass destruction might pose to various countries.

On the issue of the commitment by the U.S. and Japan to strengthen their cooperation in missile defence-related research, the spokesman made it clear that Beijing was ``worried'' about the possible "negative impact'' of such coordination.

He outlined, in general terms, a strategic bottom line for complex issues of this kind. In China's view, the countries concerned, be they the U.S. and Japan or others, should "act cautiously''.

The prime consideration should be that any two or more states "should not harm the security interests of other countries'' in the Asia-Pacific region while undertaking any missile defence plans. On the separate but somewhat related question of Iraq and the current moves by the U.S. and the Britain towards Baghdad, Mr. Liu said that the United Nations Security Council should have the final say over the assessment by the international arms inspectors as regards the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein's suspected programmes of making weapons of mass destruction.

China was, therefore, not amused at the way the U.S. and the Britain were now falling over each other in trying to determine whether Iraq was already in "material breach'' of the relevant U.N. injunctions, the Chinese official hinted at without actually saying so.

China preferred a political settlement of the Iraqi issue within the framework of the U.N. Security Council, he said.

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