DATE=3/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246965
TITLE=CHINA / U-S SCIENTIST / L
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  BEIJING ACKNOWLEDGES A TAIWAN-BORN AMERICAN SCIENTIST -- 
AT THE CENTER OF A SCANDAL INVOLVING THE ALLEGED THEFT OF U-S 
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY -- DID VISIT CHINA TWICE IN THE 1980'S.  BUT, 
AS V-O-A'S STEPHANIE HO REPORTS, THE OFFICIAL CHINESE MEDIA 
REPEAT THE GOVERNMENT'S DENIAL THE AMERICAN SCIENTIST PASSED ANY 
MILITARY SECRETS TO CHINA.

TEXT:  TAIWAN-BORN AMERICAN SCIENTIST WEN HO-LEE HAS BEEN FIRED 
FROM HIS JOB AT A U-S LABORATORY IN LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO.  HE 
IS SUSPECTED OF HAVING ILLEGALLY PASSED U-S NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY 
SECRETS TO CHINA.

THE STATE-RUN CHINESE MEDIA CALL THE ALLEGATIONS GROUNDLESS AND 
IRRESPONSIBLE.  

THEY CONFIRM MR. LEE ATTENDED CONFERENCES IN CHINA IN 1986 AND 
1988.  THE XINHUA NEWS AGENCY SAYS THE 1986 MEETING WAS ABOUT 
HYDROMECHANICS.  IT QUOTES LI DEYUAN -- FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE 
INSTITUTE OF APPLIED PHYSICS AND COMPUTATIONAL MATHEMATICS -- AS 
SAYING THE MEETING DEALT WITH BASIC SCIENTIFIC MATTERS.

XINHUA QUOTES THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE 1988 MEETING -- ZHANG 
TIANYUAN -- AS SAYING THE CONFERENCE HELD ONLY GENERAL ACADEMIC 
TALKS.  HE DENIES PARTICIPANTS EVEN TOUCHED UPON THE  NUCLEAR 
WARHEAD IN QUESTION.

U-S OFFICIALS BEGAN SUSPECTING THEFT OF WARHEAD SECRETS AFTER 
STUDYING CHINESE NUCLEAR TESTS IN THE MID-1990'S.  

XINHUA ALSO DENIED A U-S CONGRESSIONAL REPORT CONCLUDING CHINA 
BENEFITED FROM TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS FROM THE UNITED STATES.  IT 
BLAMES SOME AMERICANS FOR SLANDERING ACADEMIC EXCHANGES BETWEEN 
CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES, OUT OF IGNORANCE AND ARROGANCE.

AT A NEWS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK, CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI 
REJECTED CHARGES OF MILITARY ESPIONAGE AS FICTIONAL AND CALLED 
FOR IMPROVING TIES WITH WASHINGTON.  THIS ISSUE THREATENS TO 
OVERSHADOW HIS VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES NEXT MONTH.  (SIGNED)

NEB / HO / WD / WD

22-Mar-99 6:07 AM EST (1107 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.