DATE=8/31/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA MILLENNIUM SUMMIT (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-266011
BYLINE=LETA HONG FINCHER
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO: A Beijing official says China plans to use the 
upcoming United Nations Millennium summit to oppose 
the proposed U-S anti-missile defense system.  As 
Beijing Correspondent Leta Hong Fincher reports, China 
is also expected to call for expanding the membership 
roster of the U-N Security Council to include more 
developing countries.  

TEXT:  A Chinese Foreign Ministry official told 
reporters Thursday that President Jiang Zemin is 
likely to criticize U-S plans to set up anti-missile 
defense systems during his keynote address at the U-N 
Millennium Summit in New York next week.

/// OFFICIAL ACT, EST. IN CHINESE, THEN FADE ///

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, 
says the majority of U-N member countries oppose the 
proposed U-S Theater Missile Defense and National 
Missile Defense systems.  He says that such plans to 
develop sophisticated anti-missile systems would 
greatly undermine international disarmament efforts 
and harm world peace and security. He says President 
Jiang Zemin is likely to call for a new global 
security framework, based on mutual trust, equality 
and cooperation. 

///OFFICIAL ACT, EST. IN CHINESE, THEN FADE///

The Foreign Ministry official also says China supports 
expanding the number of permanent members on the U-N 
Security Council to include more developing countries.  
China is currently the only developing country that is 
a permanent member. The others are the United States, 
Russia, Britain and France. 

The U-N Millennium summit will be held in New York 
from September sixth through the eighth.  It is 
expected to be the largest-ever gathering of world 
leaders, with more than 160 heads of state attending. 
(signed)
 
NEB/HK/LHF/GC/JO/PFH

 



31-Aug-2000 04:54 AM EDT (31-Aug-2000 0854 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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