China Still Unappeased on Embassy Bombing

China said Monday that U.S. explanations for last May’s bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia were difficult to believe and again demanded a thorough investigation and severe punishment of those responsible.

Beijing’s dismissive response came despite repeated U.S. apologies and claims that the bombing was a mistake, as well as the CIA’s punishment of seven officials, including the firing of one employee blamed for incorrectly targeting the embassy during NATO’s air war against Yugoslavia.

In remarks underscoring common perceptions in China that the bombing in Belgrade was intentional, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said it was “hard for people to believe” that the bombing was a result of negligence by “several individuals” and a review process that failed to detect the mistake.

The U.S. made clear Monday that it would offer no further explanation to China. State Department spokesman James P. Rubin told reporters that an investigation of the incident and reports to China’s leaders had been complete and thorough.

A B-2 bomber struck the embassy May 8, killing three Chinese and injuring more than 20.

Zhu said the embassy looked totally different and was 550 yards from what Washington says was the intended target: a Yugoslav military and weapons procurement headquarters.

“It was impossible for the U.S. side to mix up these two buildings,” Zhu was quoted as saying by the official New China News Agency.

The embassy also was distinctively marked and is clearly shown on U.S. maps, so “the U.S. claim that it did not know its exact location is not justified,” Zhu said.

Zhu’s comments indicate that lingering anger and suspicion in Beijing over the bombing were not allayed by the CIA’s weekend announcement that it had fired one employee and given administrative punishments ranging from oral warnings to letters of reprimand to six others.

Relations between Beijing and Washington, which nose-dived after the bombing, have yet to fully recover.

Zhu repeated demands Beijing has made since the bombing for a thorough investigation, the punishment of those responsible and the furnishing of a “satisfactory explanation” to the “Chinese government and people.”

The bombing “greatly hurt the dignity of the Chinese people” and “was an extremely serious international unlawful act,” Zhu said.