Cohen Sees U.S.-China Progress

Defense Secretary William Cohen says U.S. military relations with China are back on track, albeit a slow and steady one.

Still, it was clear after his visit last week to Beijing and Shanghai that there remains a deep divide on the subject of U.S. missile defense.

"Differences remain," Cohen said in summing up Chinese leaders' response to his pitch on missile defense.

Cohen's visit was his first since China agreed to resume military ties with Washington, after having cut off all contact following the U.S. bombing of China's embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in May 1999.

Among the modest signs of improving relations: a U.S. Navy ship and its sailors will visit a Chinese port, and Chinese Navy ships will make port calls in Honolulu and Seattle. Also, China agreed to send officers to the U.S.-sponsored Asia Pacific Security Center in Hawaii, a forum on defense issues.

Visiting Shanghai on Friday, Cohen urged China and Tiawan to resolve their dispute over the nature and future of their association.

"I believe every opportunity should be taken advantage of to explore ways in which a reconciliation can be achieved" peacefully, Cohen told a news conference after his meeting with Wang.

Cohen flew to Shanghai on Friday after two days of talks with top Chinese leaders in Beijing, including President Jiang Zemin.

Cohen said Wang "indicated that this needs to be resolved" but Beijing still insists that Taiwan acknowledge in advance that if reunification takes place, it will not have the status of a separate state.

China describes its formula for reunifying with Taiwan as "one China, two systems," meaning the capitalist Taiwan economy could remain in place but Beijing would be the sovereign power.

Earlier this year China said the Taiwan issue needed to be resolved soon or risked becoming a trigger for war.

Senior U.S. officials traveling with Cohen said they heard no such rhetoric in their talks this week, although it is clear that Beijing would like to see progress soon on a peaceful path to reunification.

A senior member of Cohen's delegation, speaking privately, said Cohen believes the opportunity for a breakthrough could slip away quickly.

"If the mainland waits six months on this, probably the chances of moving things forward diminish," the official said.

This and other officials who were present in Cohen's talks said the Chinese were less bellicose than only a few months ago.

"It's really impressive if you see the change in tone, a change in the nature of the discussion," said one official, who has been closely involved in China affairs since before the U.S. erroneously bombed China's embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia last May, an event that ruptured relations between the two nations.

"The discussion is in a sense more relaxed, it's more constructive, it's more forward-looking, there's not a sense of total stbbornness and crisis," the official said.

At a news conference after his meeting, Cohen said he found no surprises in Wang's main message.

"Mr. Wang indicated that this needs to be resolved (and) there has to be a commitment to the one-China policy on the part of Taiwan," Cohen said. While not offering any specific new ideas, Cohen said the Chinese government needs to conduct "some creative examination" of options.

Cohen's spokesman, Kenneth Bacon, said the defense secretary was satisfied that he had achieved his goal of encouraging officials to move ahead now on the Taiwan dispute during talks this week in both Beijing and Shanghai. Bacon said Cohen had not expected any immediate breakthroughs.

"He has encouraged all the officials with whom he talked to seize the moment," Bacon said.

The Clinton administration has been careful to avoid getting involved as a mediator in the China-Taiwan dispute, although it has exhorted both sides to hold face-to-face talks in search of a peaceful resolution.

Washington acknowledges China's claim to Taiwan, but by law must help the island maintain its defense.

After meeting Wang, Cohen addressed the Shanghai Stock Exchange, which he called the "epicenter of the burgeoning Chinese economy" and a future engine of growth for the economies throughout Asia.

He touted the power of free trade and predicted quick approval by the Senate of permanent normal trade relations with China, which he said was a key to completing the "circle of stability, prosperity and democracy."

The wealthier China becomes, the more its people will embrace democracy and demand change, Cohen said.

"Becoming a full partner in the world economic system will lead to inevitable change in China," he said.

The anxiety over Taiwan in U.S.-China relations is connected to Beijing's opposition to U.S. plans for a national missile defense.

While China fears the national missile defense may be used to shoot down Chinese missile targeted at the U.S., it is also worried related American systems in development—theater missile defenses—may be used to shroud Taiwan in its own missile shield.