BEIJING, Jun 8, 1999 -- (Agence France
Presse) China's communist party
mouthpiece, citing "hostile Western
forces on lbo and pen-l," urged people Tuesday to channel the patriotism aroused by last month's anti-US protests into action to make the country strong.
"The US-led NATO missile attack on the
Chinese embassy in Belgrade last month
was a serious infringement on Chinese
sovereignty and damaged the dignity of the
Chinese," the People's Daily commentary
said.
"After the NATO bombing of the
embassy, the people protested the
barbarous attack and exhibited their unity
to the whole world."
The accidental bombing sparked protests
throughout China with huge crowds
stoning US and British diplomatic
missions.
The paper said the unity and diligence of
the people would push forward China's
reforms and opening-up and help maintain
social stability.
"The Chinese in the past suffered during
periods of disunity and got strong when
they were unified," it said.
"Hostile Western forces are afraid of that
unity, strength and development and have
tried in every possible way to undermine it
and disrupt the situation.
"As a big country with 56 ethnic groups,
China faces many new problems and
difficulties, especially during a period of
transition from a planned economy to a market economy," the editorial said.
World scientific advances and integration into the global economy were putting pressure on China which was
encountering fiercer competition, it added.
"The Chinese people must build a more prosperous state under the banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the leadership of the Communist Party's central committee with comrade Jiang Zemin at the core," it added. ((c) 1999 Agence France Presse)