Bush Advisers Arrive in China on Surprise Visit
BEIJING — A high-level U.S. government delegation led by President Bush’s national security adviser arrived today on a surprise visit to Beijing in an apparent bid to repair relations damaged by China’s crackdown on the democracy movement last June.
The delegation, led by National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft and including Undersecretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger, is the first high-level delegation to visit China since such contacts were suspended by the White House in the wake of the crackdown.
The official Xinhua news agency reported Scowcroft would hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen later today.
The visit was unexpected and announced by the Chinese government after the delegation landed by special plane at mid-afternoon at the Beijing airport.
A U.S. Embassy spokesman declined formal comment on the visit. Other U.S. diplomats said the trip was kept secret even from most senior embassy officials.
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