Zhu In The US Premier set to play European card
WILLY WO-LAP LAM in Los Angeles
Premier Zhu Rongji is to play the "European
card" to try to persuade his American hosts to
accept Beijing's concessions in its bid for
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
membership.
The first mainland head of government to visit
the United States in 15 years will also try to
get President Bill Clinton to resume the
transfer of high technology to China.
Trade and technological co-operation seem the
only possible breakthroughs in the Premier's
visit. The chances of both sides agreeing on
the terms for Beijing's WTO accession are
considered low by both Chinese and American
officials.
Mr Zhu is also expected to take a tough stance
on Taiwan, the Theatre Missile Defence
(TMD) system and Washington-led air-strikes
in Yugoslavia.
Diplomatic sources said Mr Zhu and his top
advisers, including State Councillor Wu Yi ,
State Council Secretary-General Wang
Zhongyu and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan,
were still preparing strategies as their plane
flew over the Pacific yesterday.
"The Premier will tell Clinton that his
Government has already made the utmost in
concessions that it can make," an informed
source said.
"If a WTO deal is not struck now, some of the
concessions recently promised to the US may
go first to the European Union and other
supporters of China. But Zhu is still keen to
reach a deal on WTO, the European card is
just a strategy to achieve that."
In talks with American trade officials in the
past month, Mr Zhu and Ms Wu reportedly
pointed out Beijing was willing to give the US
a bit more because of the belief that an early
WTO agreement with America would speed
up Beijing's negotiations with other WTO
members.
But a diplomatic analyst said that the lack of a
trade breakthrough might prompt the Zhu team
to concentrate on wooing the Europeans first.
It is understood several Chinese trade
negotiators headed to Europe in the past week.
"Zhu is telling the White House that there is
very little left for him to give and, if there is no
deal, Beijing has to rethink its priorities," the
analyst said.
In internal meetings last week, Mr Zhu was
understood to have upbraided the Americans
for adding new demands - in areas such as
agriculture and financial markets - "at the last
minute".
Meanwhile, sources close to the Premier's
personal think-tanks said the Zhu team was
expected to hand its hosts an elaborate
"shopping list" of hi-tech products and
know-how.
The sources said the Premier would stress
there had not been any theft of nuclear-related
technology from the US and that the hi-tech
imports he was seeking would be used for
non-military purposes.
Moreover, Mr Zhu would point out Beijing
could take shipments of similar technologies
from the European Union.
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