China Declares It Won’t Be Bullied by West : Asia: Foreign minister defends rights record. He denounces superpower intrusions into world affairs.

Foreign Minister Qian Qichen expressed sharp opposition Monday to what Beijing views as attempts by Western nations to impose their will on other countries.

Speaking at a news conference in the Great Hall of the People, Qian defended his own government’s repression of dissidents and criticized Western policies concerning Taiwan, Libya and Iraq.

“It is impossible for just one superpower to dominate the world and to monopolize international affairs,” Qian declared in a comment clearly aimed at the United States.

Qian made clear that in the wake of the Soviet Union’s disintegration, Beijing intends to play a strong and independent international role and that it will not readily yield to U.S. pressure on human rights issues.

Qian defended China’s refusal to grant exit permits to dissident labor leader Han Dongfang and political activist Hou Xiaotian despite apparent promises concerning their cases made to U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III during a visit here last November.

Implying that Baker had either misunderstood or misrepresented China’s position, Qian said that the promise to the United States was merely to let such people apply to leave--not necessarily to grant approval.

Baker had told a Beijing news conference at the conclusion of his visit: “Having raised the issue of denial of exit permits to prominent intellectuals and families of Chinese personalities now abroad, we were assured that any person against whom no criminal proceedings were pending would be allowed to leave after completing the usual formalities.”

But Qian insisted Monday that what he told Baker was: “Those people who have no outstanding criminal allegations against them can apply for the right to leave China.

“Naturally, in their application, they have to go through certain formalities and procedures,” Qian said. “It is impossible that we can dispense with all those formalities.”

Qian’s toughest comments were aimed at France, which is very close to finalizing a deal with the Nationalist Chinese government on Taiwan for the sale of at least 50 Mirage 2000 jet fighters. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and bitterly opposes any increased arms sales by Western nations that exceed long-established precedents.

“The Chinese side has already made some representations to the French side on this issue,” Qian said. “. . . If the French side should proceed with this deal in spite of our representations, then we would be forced into strong reactions.”

Qian also said that China will not back imposition of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Libya, which have been proposed in connection with international terrorist activity, because “that could only aggravate the regional tensions and result in serious consequences.”

Implying some support for Iraq in its ongoing political confrontation with the United Nations, Qian said that China hopes to see “continued Iraqi cooperation with the Security Council” regarding U.N. resolutions demanding the dismantling of Baghdad’s war machine.

Qian also said that he will meet with South Korean Foreign Minister Lee Sang Ok when he visits Beijing next month for a meeting of the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The visit will be the first to China by a South Korean foreign minister. China fought on the side of Communist North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War and continues to be North Korea’s closest ally.