Clinton, Chinese Leader’s Meeting Tense ‘Significant Step Forward’ But Problems Persist

In talks laced with tension, President Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin tried on Tuesday to stabilize relations shaken by disputes over human rights, trade and Taiwan. The administration called it “a significant step forward” but acknowledged problems persist.

Clinton said the fact that they were meeting was “very important.”

Clinton and Jiang talked for two hours.

Afterward, White House press secretary Mike McCurry quoted Clinton as saying that it was “a very positive meeting and certainly the best of the three meetings that he has held to date with President Jiang Zemin.”

Despite the upbeat assessment, the administration said it was not a problem-solving meeting.

Jiang indicated that his overriding concern was Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province. “We have much to discuss on this issue,” he said.

On that point, Clinton reaffirmed that the United States has a “one China” policy that does not advocate independence for Taiwan.

Winston Lord, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said the issue was still sensitive but Jiang agreed it should not dominate U.S.-Chinese relations.

China was furious when Clinton allowed Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui to make an unofficial visit to the United States this year. Clinton told Jiang he couldn’t rule out further visits but that they would be unofficial, private and rare, Lord said.

The two leaders agreed to try to cooperate on a new range of issues, such as fighting international crime and attacking the flow of narcotics. Clinton also pressed Jiang to open China’s markets.

Clinton did not gain a firm pledge from Jiang to agree to push for an international ban on all nuclear weapons tests next year, as Russian President Boris Yeltsin did on Monday. France, Britain and the United States are already on board. Lord said Jiang gave “a positive general reaction but without a specific commitment.”

The Chinese leader signaled in advance that he was not interested in U.S. lectures. In a speech at the United Nations, Jiang stressed the importance of “non-interference in each other’s affairs.”

Officials said Clinton raised a number of human rights cases with Jiang, including dissidents Wei Jingsheng and Chen Ziming. Jiang demonstrated a “willingness to hold an exchange on human rights,” Lord said.

There have been some recent signs of improvement, with China accepting former Sen. James Sasser as U.S. ambassador after months of stalling.

Yet, the list of disputes grows.

Jiang was offended when Clinton refused to receive him in a state visit at the White House on grounds that relations were not good enough to warrant a formal diplomatic meeting.

In another irritant, Clinton refused to provide U.S.-backed financing for American companies that want to build China’s multi-billion-dollar Three Gorges Dam.

In his U.N. speech, Jiang warned that China had “the resources and confidence” to take control of Taiwan.