our "friend" China

[El_Criollo]

China warns of arms race if ABM treaty is amended

06:10:00 ET June 06 2000
BEIJING (AP) _ China warned today of a new arms race if U.S.-requested amendments are made to a landmark treaty banning national missile defenses.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said adherence to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty "conforms with the strategic balance and stability."

"Any efforts to amend the ABM treaty or to withdraw from the ABM treaty would not only threaten the nuclear disarmament process but would also shatter the basis for nuclear nonproliferation and will give rise to a new arms race, including an arms race in outer space," Zhang said at a regular briefing for reporters.

Her comments came after President Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a document issued Sunday after a summit meeting, left open the possibility for changing the ABM treaty.

Washington wants to modify the treaty so it can build a system to shoot down incoming missiles, a proposal that would be illegal under the existing ABM treaty.

Washington says the National Missile Defense is designed to defend against attacks from countries such as North Korea and Iran. But Russia views it as a threat to its nuclear deterrent and China fears the system could also neutralize its limited nuclear arsenal.

"China's position on the NMD is clear and known to all," said Zhang. "We support the position of the Russian side in maintaining the effectiveness and the complete nature of the ABM treaty."

Beijing's chief arms negotiator, Sha Zukang, last month said China may opt to boost its nuclear arsenal or make its warheads more accurate if the United States builds the missile shield.

He also said experts from China and Russia are consulting together on ways to overcome the system.

Clinton is scheduled to decide later this year whether to proceed with the proposed shield.

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[El_Criollo]

U.S. Says Missile Defense Plan Won't Fuel Arms Race

Updated 7:57 AM ET June 7, 2000
HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Einhorn Wednesday dismissed a warning by China that a U.S. anti-missile defense system would fuel a new arms race.

The United States is considering an anti-missile defense system to protect itself from attacks from "rogue states" and is likely to make a decision on it later this year, but China warned Tuesday such a plan would spark off an arms race.

"If we proceeded with this limited defense system, it would not in any way be directed at China," Einhorn told the Asia Society in Hong Kong.

"It would be directed at emerging missile threats, such as those we see are coming down the road from North Korea or Iran."

"We see no reason why the Chinese need to build up their capability beyond the level that they are already building up that capability. We see certain modernization efforts by China now," he said.

"It's not clear that a limited defense and deployment would require any change in China's existing modernization plan. There is talk about stimulating an arms race. We don't necessarily feel that that would be the case."

Einhorn said Washington had spoken to Beijing about the plan for an anti-missile defense system and would assure China that it would be in no way threatened by the defense system.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said China was opposed to the U.S. plan for the system, and any attempt by any country to adjust, disband or withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty would damage global stability.

Einhorn, who is responsible for non-proliferation, said the missile defense system would help protect U.S. allies in the region from nuclear blackmail from rogue states.

"We believe a limited missile defense can help support deterrence in Asia and help the U.S. defend its allies in the region," he said.

He said that although North Korea had recently expanded its contact with the outside world, the Stalinist state had not canceled its missile program, which still posed a threat to Washington and its allies.

"They haven't tested a long-range missile...(but) it doesn't mean they are getting out of the missile program," he said.

In 1998, Pyongyang surprised the United States and Japan by test-firing a medium-range Taepodong 1 ballistic missile.

The North Korean missile test was a "real impetus" for anti-missile defense system, Einhorn said.

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