Top Bush Aide, Deng Agree on Repairing Ties

U.S. National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft and senior Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping agreed today that the two countries should repair relations damaged by Beijing’s June crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

“In spite of the disputes and the differences between us, after all, Sino-U.S. relations have to be improved,” Deng told Scowcroft at the start of their meeting in the Great Hall of the People. “This is something that is necessary for world peace and stability.”

Scowcroft responded: “We agree with that, and we are interested in working with you to promote that.”

The main official purpose of the visit by Scowcroft, who is accompanied by Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger, is to brief Chinese officials on last weekend’s U.S.-Soviet summit meeting in Malta. But both the American and Chinese sides have stated that the trip is also intended to improve bilateral ties.

“Gen. Scowcroft, you have come this time to brief us on the Malta meeting,” Deng said. “But in reality, I think we should say that it is the common desire of our two sides to put an end as soon as possible to the disputes between China and the United States prevailing ever since June of this year so that our relationship can gain new developments and gain new prospects.

“Because we share common desires and share common needs, I think in the end we can find a solution.”

President Bush, responding in June to Beijing’s use of army troops to suppress student-led protests in Tian An Men Square, imposed a variety of economic and political sanctions against China, including suspension of high-level visits to Beijing. China has bitterly condemned these sanctions as interference in the nation’s internal affairs.

Although Scowcroft’s trip appears to mark either a revision or an end to the ban on high-level visits, White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater said Saturday in Washington that political and economic sanctions remain in place and that Scowcroft’s trip is an exception to formal policy.

Among other irritants in U.S.-China relations is the presumed continued presence of astrophysicist Fang Lizhi, China’s most prominent dissident, and his wife inside the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. They took refuge there shortly after the June crackdown. China has labeled the couple “counterrevolutionaries” and issued warrants for their arrest.

Another key point of contention is U.S. action taken to allow Chinese students studying in the United States to remain in the country after completion of their studies, even if they initially had a type of visa that required them to return here upon graduation. Scowcroft also met this morning with Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin and Premier Li Peng.

Li, widely viewed as a political hard-liner, also endorsed improved ties, saying to Scowcroft: “We hope that your visit will signal an improvement in our temporary deteriorating situation.”

Scowcroft, speaking in a banquet toast Saturday evening to Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen, declared that “it is important that we not exhaust ourselves in placing blame for problems that exist.”

“By working together, within the values of our difference social systems, we should seek to solve common problems and remove irritants,” he said.

“In both our societies, there are voices of those who seek to redirect or frustrate our cooperation,” Scowcroft added. “We both must take bold measures to overcome these negative forces. In these meetings, we seek to outline broad areas where agreement is possible and to isolate for another time those areas of disagreement.”

Qian, in his banquet toast, called Scowcroft “an old friend” and said that China appreciates President Bush’s decision to send him to Beijing as a personal emissary.

“Good Sino-U.S. relations are of great significance to world peace and stability,” Qian said.

“Important as our differences are, they cannot obliterate the major common interests between us,” Qian added. “We in China believe that the current visit to China by Gen. Scowcroft will certainly be helpful to promoting mutual understanding, overcoming difficulties and removing differences between us so that Sino-U.S. relations may return to normal and further develop at an early date.”