Senator Jesse Helms: Don't let China push US around...
DemocRAT Poison
Senator: don't let China push US around
WASHINGTON, May 12 (AFP) -
A leading US senator vowed Saturday he would push the United States to get
tough with China amid Beijing's refusal to release a US spy plane and
continued detention of US citizens.
"It's perfectly outrageous the way China is pushing us around, and that some
way, somehow it's got to stop," Senator Jesse Helms told CNN in an
interview.
The North Carolina Republican is chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations
Committee and has not been shy about using his power to influence the
foreign policy of both Republican and Democratic administrations.
Helms said US President George W. Bush showed firmness in negotiations to
recover the crew of the EP-3 spy plane, which made an emergency landing
April 1 in China after a mid-air collision with an intercepting Chinese
fighter jet.
"But we've got to straighten up and fly right about who's in charge of the
United States' foreign policy, and I don't want it to be Beijing," he said.
Even though the 24-member crew was permitted to leave China after 11 days,
the fate of the plane and its high-tech surveillance equipment remains a
sticky issue, as the Chinese government considers US surveillance flights
near China's coastline an infringement of its sovereignty.
Beijing's detention of five people who are either US citizens or permanent
residents have further strained fragile relations with Washington.
Helms suggested the US government block China's bid to host the 2008 Olympic
Games in retaliation for Beijing's behavior.
He also dismissed China's criticisms of US arms sales to Taiwan, saying he
had never supported the idea the island is a renegade Chinese province as
Beijing insists and the Bush administration agrees.
"I admire the president of the United States. I supported him and continue
to support him. But it's just not one China, as far as I'm concerned.
Shouldn't be," Helms said.
Bush, who came to office promising to take a tough line with China, has
repeatedly said he will work with Beijing where US and Chinese interests
coincide and remains in favor of trade with the communist giant.
However, the president has also said he would do whatever it takes to defend
Taiwan against an invasion from the mainland, although the administration
insists this is not a change from the policy of deliberate ambiguity over US
intentions.
Tommy Anderson Jr.
DemocRAT Poison wrote in message ...
Lets cut off all trade with China. That will fix them. Too bad Nixon got
us into this China mess. If he hadnt got so cozy with them, we wouldnt have
to worry about peeing them off.
T. Anderson
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