CONTENTS
1. PRC Role in Afghan Reconstruction
2. PRC-US Plane Incident
3. US-Philippines Anti-Terrorism
4. US Anti-Terrorism
5. Inter-Korean Relations
II. Japan 1. ROK-DPRK Relations
2. Afghan Reconstruction Conference
III. Russian Federation 1. PRC-US Plane Incident
2. PRC-India Top Level Contacts
I. United States
1. PRC Role in Afghan Reconstruction
Reuters (John Ruwitch, “CHINA PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION,” Beijing, 01/24/02) and Agence France-Presse (“AFGHAN LEADER KARZAI ARRIVES IN CHINA,” 01/23/02) reported that leader of the interim Afghan government Hamid Karzai arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit on Wednesday. PRC Premier Zhu Rongji said that the PRC would do everything it could to help rebuild Afghanistan as Karzai likewise supported the PRC’s campaign against Islamic separatists in Xinjiang. Karzai will discuss Afghan peace and reconstruction and may also touch on the US military presence in the region. Afghan and PRC foreign ministers signed agreements for Afghan aid packages. “China is ready to provide assistance to the best of our ability to your effort of reconstruction,” Zhu told Karzai. Karzai is due to meet PRC President Jiang Zemin on Thursday.
2. PRC-US Plane Incident
Reuters (Tabassum Zakaria, “CHINA PLANE BUGS: SLOPPY U.S. SPYING OR UNTRUE?,” Washington, 01/23/02) reported that US intelligence experts stated that either US spy agencies were incredibly sloppy by planting so many eavesdropping devices in a PRC presidential plane, or it was not their work. The experts expressed skepticism that US spies had a hand in what newspaper reports said were more than two dozen bugs found inside a plane to be used by PRC President Jiang Zemin. Philip O’Connor, a vice president at Dee Howard Aircraft Maintenance, said that the firm that provided the space and security for refitting the plane had no knowledge of any listening devices planted. “We were surprised because there is no way we would jeopardize this company. We’ve done so many heads-of- state aircraft and never had a complaint about anything like that. We don’t build our integrity and reputation on that kind of stuff,” O’Connor said. Asked whether the US government would have had to notify the firm for such a mission, O’Connor replied: “I don’t know. I don’t have a clue how that works. I don’t know what these covert actions are like.”
3. US-Philippines Anti-Terrorism
Agence France-Presse (“ANTI-US STAND PUTS MAVERICK PHILIPPINE VP IN LIMELIGHT,” Manila, 01/23/02) reported that Philippines Vice-President Teofisto Guingona is the sole cabinet minister questioning the expanded US terrorism campaign into the Philippines. Guingona made an unexpected veiled threat to quit President Gloria Arroyo’s cabinet over the deployment of hundreds of US troops against the Abu Sayyaf. Analysts say if the veteran politician quits, Arroyo may face her biggest crisis since assuming power a year ago. It could also scale down the US joint operations with the Philippines to flush out the Abu Sayyaf. Guingona felt the substantial and extended US troop deployment in the Philippines was unconstitutional and unnecessary. “(He) will fight tooth and nail for his resolve to preserve national sovereignty,” a source from his office was quoted saying Wednesday.
Agence France-Presse (“PHILIPPINES LEADER HOLDS SECURITY TALKS OVER US TROOP DEPLOYMENT,” 01/23/02) reported that Philippines President Gloria Arroyo convened a security panel meeting to coax officials into line behind the expansion of a US-led campaign against terrorism into the Philippines. Vice President and concurrent foreign secretary Teofisto Guingona has expressed doubts over the legality of the ongoing deployment of US troops in Mindanao and nearby islands in the country’s south. Arroyo spokesperson Rigoberto Tiglao commented, “Vice President Guingona is a very principled man. They have a high regard for each other and I don’t think it will come to that,” Tiglao said of Tiglao’s reported resignation threat. Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes stated that “We need the Americans and the Americans need us so that the capabilities of both sides would be upgraded to fight terrorism.”
4. US Anti-Terrorism
The Associated Press (Sandra Sobieraj, “BUSH WANTS $50 BILLION FOR TERROR WAR,” Washington, 01/23/02) and Reuters (Arshad Mohammed, “BUSH PLANS LARGEST MILITARY INCREASE IN TWO DECADES,” Washington, 01/23/02) reported that US President George W. Bush proposed on Wednesday a US$48 billion increase in military spending next year, the biggest rise in two decades, to buy high-tech equipment for a wider war against terrorism. Bush said that while spending on precision weapons, missile defenses, a military pay raise, unmanned vehicles and high-tech gear for troops may stretch the budget, the US government would not stint on protecting its people after September 11. “The tools of modern warfare are effective. They are expensive. But in order to win this war against terror they are essential. Whatever it takes, whatever it costs, this patient, this resolved nation will win the first war of the 21st century,” Bush said. The US$48 billion increase would bring the total proposed defense budget to $379 billion.
5. Inter-Korean Relations
Agence France-Presse (“NORTH KOREA APPEALS FOR NEW TALKS WITH SOUTH,” 01/23/02) reported that the DPRK has made an appeal for new official talks with the ROK, while seeking to diminish US influence in any reconciliation process. DPRK senior ruling party leader Yang Hyong-Sop made the appeal for new talks at a special meeting in Pyongyang on Tuesday. Yang stated, “In order to warm inter- Korean relations it is imperative to seek authorities-to-authorities dialogue and all forms of non-governmental talks and contacts and work harder to boost them.” Yang also indicated that the DPRK was ready to talk to whoever succeeds ROK President Kim Dae-Jung in December. Yang said, “Whoever takes power in South Korea, the North-South joint declaration must be implemented faithfully and thoroughly.”
II. Japan
1. ROK-DPRK Relations
The Financial Times (Andrew Ward, “S KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL SLATED BY INDIGNANT PYONGYANG,” 01/22/02, 06) reported that the DPRK launched a scathing attack on the man favored to be the ROK’s next president. The DPRK accused Lee Hoi-chang, leader of ROK’s opposition Grand National party, of making “reckless” and “provocative” comments in a speech last week in which he promised a tough stance against the DPRK if elected president. The DPRK news agency branded Lee an anti-reunification element” whose election would cause “tensions in the Korean peninsula [to] be aggravated to bring about war.” Lee argued that aid and investment in poverty-stricken DPRK must be reciprocated by a reduction in the DPRK’s military threat against the ROK.
2. Afghan Reconstruction Conference
The Asahi Shinbun (“KABUL TO GET 1 BILLION FOR 1ST YEAR,” 01/22/02) reported that Japan promised US$500 million over the next 2 years, with an immediate contribution of up to US$250 dollars to cover the first 12 months. Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi said Japan’s contribution would continue for the duration of the interim government, which is slated to hand over power when elections are held in 2004. Stressing that the aid will be dependent on progress in the peace process, Koizumi said, “The international community can proceed with its efforts for reconstruction only when the reconciliation process is advanced smoothly by the people of Afghanistan themselves.” He added “Japan’s assistance will focus on supporting the process toward peace and national reconciliation, as well as on people-building. The future of Afghanistan has to be built by its own people.”
III. Russian Federation
1. PRC-US Plane Incident
Izvestia’s (“‘BUGS’ FOR CHAIRMAN JIANG”, Moscow, 6, 01/21/02) reported that 20 Air Force officers and 2 top officials were arrested in the PRC, accused of leniency and corruption, following the discovery of 27 listening devices in PRC Chairman Jiang Zemin official Boeing 767 plane bought in the USA. The discovery was made in September 2001, but has only now come into the open on the eve of the February visit of US President George W. Bush to the PRC. A PRC official said, “everybody knows the Americans spy on us, but I’m not sure the government is going to use that incident against the United States, considering the improvement of the bilateral relations.”
2. PRC-India Top Level Contacts
Nezavisimaya gazeta (“ASIAN GIANTS’ DIALOGUE”, Moscow, 8, 01/18/02) published an article by Sergey Luzyanin, D.Sc. (Political Science) on PRC State Council Premier Zhu Ronji’s five day visit to India. Zhu Ronji and Indian Premier Atal Vajpai noted many similarities between the two counties in their approach to world issues. Exchanges in astronautics and informatics were also discussed. The leaders also discussed issues of confidence-building measures along the line of actual control in the border area. It was agreed to start bilateral dialogue on ways of combating terrorism.
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Center for American Studies,
Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
International Peace Research Institute (PRIME),
Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
Monash Asia Institute,
Monash University, Clayton, Australia
Brandon Yu: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States
Timothy L. Savage: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States
Kim Young-soo: yskim328@hotmail.com
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hibiki Yamaguchi: hibikiy@dh.mbn.or.jp
Tokyo, Japan
Saiko Iwata: saiko@akira.ne.jp
Tokyo, Japan
Hiroya Takagi: hiroya_takagi@hotmail.com
Tokyo, Japan
Peter Razvin: icipu@glas.apc.org
Moscow, Russian Federation
Wu Chunsi: cswu@fudan.ac.cn
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
John McKay: John.McKay@adm.monash.edu.au
Clayton, Australia