GOP Candidates Lay ‘Spy Scandal’ at Clinton’s Feet

Charges that a U.S. scientist gave nuclear secrets to China prompted Republican leaders Tuesday to step up criticism of the Clinton administration’s ties to Beijing, an early barrage in what may become a major front in the new presidential campaign.

Several GOP presidential candidates denounced President Clinton’s policies on China as bankrupt and pointed to the security issue as an example.

“What the spy scandal underscores is that this administration does not have a serious China policy,” charged magazine publisher Steve Forbes. “Their policy is one of appeasement.”

On Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) accused the administration of inaction in the face of repeated leakage of secret technology to China. “We found out last year when the technology was transferred through American corporations. Now we find this lax security,” Lott told reporters. “What I want to know is what actions are we going to take to stop this kind of misconduct?”

In response, Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic front-runner in the 2000 presidential race, said that the alleged security breach occurred during the Republican presidency of Ronald Reagan.

“That happened during the previous administration,” Gore said in an interview with Cable News Network. “That happened back in the 1980s. And as soon as the investigation identified targets of that investigation, then the law enforcement community handled that very aggressively and it resulted in a presidential directive that completely changed the security procedures in the weapons labs.”

But Lott said that a Senate investigation beginning this week would focus on why the administration took so long to address the security problems. And Republican presidential candidates Forbes, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), former Vice President Dan Quayle and activist Gary Bauer all said that they would press the broader issue of China policy over the coming months.

“China is going to be a big issue in this campaign, including the primary campaign,” GOP foreign policy expert Robert Kagan predicted. “It’s a core grass-roots issue for Republicans. When a candidate goes before a conservative audience, China is an applause line.”

The new questions on Chinese espionage and U.S. security stem from the case of Wen Ho Lee, a Taiwan-born scientist who was fired from his job at Los Alamos National Laboratory on Monday after he refused to answer questions from the FBI. The FBI was investigating what officials describe as an unauthorized transfer to China of secret data on making small nuclear warheads, information that could help China build advanced multiple-warhead missiles.

But they echo earlier questions about unauthorized transfers of satellite technology to China by Hughes Electronics Corp. and Loral Corp., and connect to a broader Republican critique of the Clinton administration as too cozy with the Beijing regime.

“Today’s headlines are proof that American policy on China is failing on all fronts,” said Bauer, who has campaigned for a tougher U.S. policy on human rights in China.

As an important side effect of the controversy, Republican support for China’s application to join the World Trade Organization--a goal of both Beijing and the Clinton administration--appears to be dimming.

“When you look at the overall situation with China now, their trade policies, their human rights policies, as well as their use of technology that we are very much concerned about, I’m not prepared to go along with WTO for China at this point,” Lott said.

The Clinton administration has been negotiating with China over membership in the trade regime, which would give Beijing easier access to world markets. Administration officials have said they are insisting that China meet stringent conditions and open its own market to others.

China wanted a deal in time for Premier Zhu Rongji’s visit to Washington next month, but U.S. officials said it is not clear that Beijing will meet their conditions.

The trade issue has divided the GOP. Business-oriented Republicans have favored aggressive efforts to promote more trade with Beijing. Social conservatives such as Bauer and Forbes have argued that human rights should come first.

The espionage issue has added national security to the mix, prompting senators such as Lott and McCain to speak out. A spokesman for Quayle said that he plans to take up the issue in a speech in Los Angeles later this month.

Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the front-runner in early GOP polls, has made no public statement on China policy, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. Bush has avoided taking positions on most national issues, saying that he wants to concentrate on his job as governor until June.

Other Republicans said they are interested to see what Bush says on the issue, since his father, former President Bush, was a leading proponent of trade and engagement with China.

Gore, in his CNN interview, defended the Clinton administration’s policy of engagement in broad terms.

“China is the most populous country in the world. Its economy is growing, and its role in the world is going to continue to grow whether we want that or not,” he said.

“Having a relationship with them within which we can try to affect their behavior and improve human rights, eliminate unfair trade practices and bring about the kinds of changes that will lead to further democratization in China--these things are in our interest,” he said.

The vice president noted that China has staged elections for local councils in towns and villages and said that was a sign of progress toward democracy. He said China has also moved toward more freedom of the press.

“That kind of thing can build upon itself and bring greater reforms,” he said. “But we’re very concerned about some of the practices of China and we’ve made that clear to them. We will continue to make it clear to them.”