DATE=12/26/96

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-207952

TITLE=RUSSIA / CHINA (S-ONLY)

BYLINE=ELIZABETH ARROTT

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  CHINESE PREMIER LI PENG HAS ARRIVED IN RUSSIA FOR A 

THREE-DAY VISIT.  V-O-A'S ELIZABETH ARROTT IN MOSCOW REPORTS THE 

TRIP IS AIMED AT BOOSTING ECONOMIC TIES.



TEXT:  PREMIER LI SEEMS ASSURED OF A WARM POLITICAL RECEPTION.  

IF ALL GOES TO PLAN, ON FRIDAY HE WILL BECOME THE FIRST FOREIGN 

LEADER TO MEET RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN SINCE THE 

PRESIDENT'S RETURN TO THE KREMLIN FOLLOWING HEART SURGERY.  



THE VISIT WILL LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A SUMMIT BETWEEN MR. 

YELTSIN AND CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN NEXT YEAR.  FORMER 

RIVALS, BOTH SIDES HAVE IN POST-SOVIET TIMES BENEFITED FROM A 

RELATIONSHIP THAT OFFSETS WESTERN POLITICAL PRESSURE.



BUT BEIJING AND MOSCOW ARE ANXIOUS THAT POLITICAL LINKS ARE 

MATCHED BY ECONOMIC ONES.  TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO HAVE 

FAILED TO MEET EXPECTATIONS.



RUSSIA'S SLUGGISH ECONOMY WOULD STAND TO GAIN FROM A PROPOSED 

SPECIAL TRADE ZONE, WHILE CHINA HOPES THE PLAN WOULD PROVIDE 

ANOTHER OUTLET FOR ITS RELATIVELY HUGE PRODUCTION OUTPUT.



DURING TALKS IN MOSCOW, THE TWO SIDES ALSO HOPE TO RESOLVE 

DIFFERENCES OVER PAYMENT FOR RUSSIAN NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY AND 

FURTHER PLANS FOR INCREASING RUSSIAN SALES OF MILITARY HARDWARE. 

(SIGNED)



NEB/EA/JWH



26-Dec-96 8:53 AM EST (1353 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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