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Al Gore confident of improving Sino-US ties
TOKYO. Mar 23: US Vice President Al Gore began a seek-long Asia trip Saturday confident of improving US China relations despite recent allegations that China tried to funnel money into last year's congressional and presidential elections. reports AP.
Gore is visiting Japan. China and Korea in a Journey anchored on four days of meetings with Chinese leaders. In Beijing, he plans to discuss issues from human rights and nuclear proliferation to North Korea and how China may best balance its stunning economic growth with environmental protection.
"Both countries are clearly signaling to one another that we want to find a way to move forward In the relationship while being respectful of the disagreements tnat we have." Gore said. It's his goal, he said.
"to lend some positive momentum to the relationship."
Speaking to reporters en route to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, where Air Force II refueled. Gore said he did not expect the campaign controversy to have a lasting adverse effect on US- Chinese ties.
But Gore was circumspect in discussing the subject with reporters — and suggested his approach will be much the same in meetings this week with Premier Li Peng and Jiang Zemin, the state president ana Communist Party chief.
Gore noted the allegations. Including that China tried to steer money to the Democratic Party to support President Clinton's re-election, are the subject of a federal investigation in the United States. Given that, the Justice Department is constrained in what it can tell the White House about the status of
the investigation. Also. Gore noted the Chinese have "vigorously denied" the allegations.
"In an appropriate and sensitive way. it will be discussed," Gore said. But. headed pointedly, "This is not what this trip is about."
Gore arrived Sunday in Tokyo and in a brief airport ceremony called Japan "America's key ally and closest partner in Asia. There is no more important bilateral relationship in the world than that between the United States and Japan."
On Monday, Gore meets with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and addresses a global environmental conference. En route home, he stops in Seoul for talks with President Kim Young Sam.
The four days in China, the trip's centerpiece, initially were to have emphasized the environment, helping China protect
its natural resources as it seeks to quadruple its energy supply over the next decade. But the visit has taken much greater significance because of developments in US-China relations.
Gore will be the highest-ranking US official in China since President Bush visited in February 1989. Four months later, relations were soured by the bloody crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. Relations took a turn for the worse again in 1995. when the United States angered Beijing by allowing Taiwan's president to visit, and China drew US scorn for conducting military exercises near Taiwan.
Gore hinted he hopes for some progress in discussions about human rights and efforts to persuade North and South Korea to negotiate a formal
peace agreement. Also high on his agenda are US concerns about the transfer of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule this July. Gore's talks also include laying ground for a state visit by Jiang to Washington this fall.
But beyond specific agreements. a major goal of the Gore visit is to demonstrate that the US-China relationship is reaching a level of understanding and trust that allows stability even in the face of disagreements over such matters as human rights and Chinese arms sales to Iran.
This atmosphere has been tested by the campaign controversy.
Another growing irritant, from the American viewpoint, is the mounting US trade imbalance with China, dlrs 3.7 billion in January alone, up 41 per cent from the corresponding
month a year ago. Last year, the US trade shortfall with China was dollars 39.5 billion, second only to Japan.
Critics of the administration's engagement policy point to the worsening trade numbers and lack of demonstrable progress on human rights. Gore urged patience, pointing to progress in holding free elec tions at the local level and market economic reforms.
"It is more than reasonable to place a bet that as the free market expands dramatically, so will free ideas," Gore said.
The trip will include good news on the trade front: Gore at tends a ceremony Monday at which China signs a 1 billion dollars order for Boeing 777s. And China's vice foreign trade minister. Sun Zhenyu. hinted that additional commercial contracts could be signed during Gore's visit.