Published by: World Tibet Network News Monday, September 29, 1997

The Daily Yomiuri, September 29, 1997

U.S. President Bill Clinton is to visit China next spring--the first trip there by a U.S. chief executive in nine years, Chinese government sources said Sunday.

Chinese leaders hope the visit will take place in April or shortly after the ninth National People's Congress in March, the sources said. Observers believe Chinese Vice Premier Zhu Rongji will be promoted to premier during the congress, a move that would help Chinese President Jiang Zemin consolidate his leadership.

The Chinese and U.S. governments are to formally agree on the visit when Jiang visits the United States in October for talks with the U.S. president, the sources said.

George Bush's February 1989 visit to China was the last by a U.S. president. Sino-U.S. relations were strained later that year when Chinese leaders cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square.

Pending issues between the two nations include Washington's stance on China's application to join the World Trade Organization and Beijing's request for most-favored-nation trade status on a lasting, as opposed to an annual, basis.

The Chinese sources said the U.S. demand that China further liberalize its markets--a condition Washington has set for support of China's WTO bid--is "tough." They said it may be difficult for the two sides to reach agreement on the issue before Jiang's visit to Washington.

Beijing hopes the visit will strengthen the two nations' resolve to negotiate differences and eventually reach consensus on the major issues, the sources said.

Beijing also intends to emphasize that issues related to Taiwan are most sensitive, the sources said. China will make utmost efforts during Jiang's visit to the U.S. capital to let Washington reaffirm its one-China policy, according to the sources.