DATE=3/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246901
TITLE= U-S / CHINA ATTITUDES (L ONLY)
BYLINE= DON BENSON
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  A NEW PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY INDICATES MORE AMERICANS HAVE
A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD CHINA THAN EVER BEFORE.  VOA'S DON 
BENSON SAYS THE POLL IS A REFLECTION OF THE WAY U-S CITIZENS ARE 
REACTING TO A DELUGE OF NEWS STORIES ABOUT CHINA'S INTERNAL AND 
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.

TEXT:  IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR AMERICANS TO TUNE INTO RADIO OR
TELEVISION NEWSCASTS AND NOT HEAR STORIES ABOUT CHINA.

STORIES FILL THE AIRWAVES ABOUT CHINA BEING ACCUSED OF STEALING 
NUCLEAR SECRETS FROM A U-S LABORATORY, OR CHINESE AUTHORITIES 
JAILING POLITICAL DISSIDENTS, OR AMERICAN MOVIE STARS PROMOTING 
FREEDOM FOR CHINESE-CONTROLLED TIBET.  LATELY, MUCH OF THE NEWS 
ABOUT CHINA HAS BEEN NEGATIVE, DESPITE BEIJING'S EFFORTS TO 
COUNTER THE BAD PUBLICITY.

IN THE UNITED STATES, THE GALLUP POLLING ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN 
SURVEYING AMERICANS' ATTITUDES TOWARD CHINA FOR YEARS.  IN ITS 
LATEST POLL, CONDUCTED MARCH 12TH THROUGH 14TH, SIX OUT OF EVERY 
10 AMERICANS EXPRESSED A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD CHINA -- MORE 
THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME SINCE THE TWO COUNTRIES ESTABLISHED 
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS IN 1979.

ANOTHER RECENT POLL THAT GALLUP CONDUCTED WITH THE CHICAGO 
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INDICATED THAT SIX OUT OF 10 
AMERICANS ALSO BELIEVE CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT AS A WORLD POWER IS A 
CRITICAL THREAT TO U-S NATIONAL INTERESTS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION, FRANK NEWPORT, SAYS 
AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD CHINA REACHED A POSITIVE HIGH IN THE 
LATE 1980'S.  BUT HE SAYS ALL THAT SHIFTED DRAMATICALLY AFTER 
JUNE, 1989, WHEN CHINESE TROOPS MASSACRED UNARMED DEMONSTRATORS 
AROUND TIANANMEN SQUARE IN BEIJING.

                      // BEGIN ACTUALITY //

         WE POLLED IN FEBRUARY OF '89, AND THAT'S WHEN WE HAD 
         THAT PEAK OF 72 PERCENT FAVORABLE.  THEN WE POLLED AGAIN
         IN AUGUST OF '89, WHICH WAS JUST A MONTH OR TWO AFTER 
         TIANANMEN SQUARE, AND THAT HAD FALLEN ALL THE WAY DOWN 
         TO JUST A THIRD FAVORABLE.  SO THAT WAS A HUGE DROP-OFF 
         THAT CAME WITHIN A FEW MONTHS.

                       // END ACTUALITY //

ANOTHER ASPECT OF AMERICAN ATTITUDES IS THE WAY PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S POLICY OF CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT TOWARD 
BEIJING.  MR. NEWPORT SAYS THE GALLUP SURVEY FOUND AN EVEN SPLIT 
IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE 
PRESIDENT ON THIS ISSUE.

                      // BEGIN ACTUALITY //

         THAT'S VERY VERY PARTISAN.  REPUBLICANS ARE VERY 
         CRITICAL OF HIS CHINA POLICY.  THAT IS, THE 
         RANK-AND-FILE REPUBLICANS IN THIS COUNTRY.  DEMOCRATS, 
         AS WE MIGHT EXPECT, ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF CLINTON'S 
         CHINA POLICY.  I WOULD SUMMARIZE THAT BY SAYING THAT, 
         DESPITE ALL OF THE RECENT PUBLICITY ABOUT CHINA, 
         CLINTON'S CHINA POLICIES, AT THIS POINT, ARE NEITHER A 
         DISASTER, AS SOME MIGHT THINK THEY WERE IN THE EYES OF 
         THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.  BUT NEITHER ARE THEY A TRIUMPH AT 
         THIS POINT.

                       // END ACTUALITY //

CHINA'S PREMIER, ZHU RONGJI, IS SCHEDULED TO VISIT THE UNITED 
STATES IN APRIL.  THIS WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICANS 
TO SEE A TOP CHINESE LEADER ON THEIR OWN SOIL.

CHINA'S PRESIDENT, JIANG ZEMIN, VISITED IN LATE 1997, AND 
PRESIDENT CLINTON RETURN THE VISIT WHEN HE WENT TO CHINA LAST 
JUNE.  (SIGNED)

NEB/DB/KL

19-Mar-99 2:18 PM EST (1918 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.