Beijing dampened hopes Thursday for an agreement to point Chinese missiles away from U.S. cities, saying it preferred a pledge that both countries not be the first to attack each other.
Failure to win a deal on missile detargeting could leave China and the United States with little in the way of new agreements to sign when President Clinton visits Beijing next week for a summit - the first China visit by a U.S. president in nine years.Last week, U.S. Ambassador to China James Sasser said he was not optimistic that the summit would produce a declaration of U.S. backing for China's long-stalled entry into the World Trade Organization.
Washington wants China to further open its markets to foreign goods before it is allowed to join the group, which sets rules for world trade. U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky was in Beijing Thursday for more talks on the issue.
Allegations of possible transfers of sensitive satellite technology to China are bedeviling the White House and appear to have reduced the likelihood of Clinton bowing to Chinese demands that Washington ease restrictions on high-technology sales.
On the detargeting question, the Pentagon had said Tuesday that a deal in which both sides agreed not to point their nuclear missiles at the other could be part of Clinton's visit.
But when asked for comment Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao repeated earlier demands that both countries instead pledge not to be the first to launch a nuclear strike.
"We think it is more important that the U.S. and China reach agreement on mutual non-first use of nuclear weapons," Zhu said.
The United States has refused to make such a promise, saying it would be largely meaningless and unverifiable.
National Security Council officials have made several visits to China over the past month, most recently this week, to nail down a detargeting agreement. But their efforts have reportedly failed to move the issue forward.
China has a small number of long-range missiles - 18 - to about 6,000 U.S. nuclear warheads.