CONFIDENTIAL
031743
MDLIAN 2626
PANCHEN LAMA WOULD HAVE HAD NO REAL CHOICE BUT TO TAKE THIS LINE, HIS REMARKS SHOWED A CLEAR UNDERCURRENT OF CONCERN THAT THE RIOTS MIGHT TEMPT THE CHINESE TO REVERSE THEIR POLICIES, AN OUTCOME WHICH
HE SEEMED ANXIOUS TO FORESTALL.
SINO-US RELATIONS:
5. THE CHINESE HAVE
CONTINUED TO CRITICIZE WHAT THEY PURPORT TO SEE AS AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT (MY SECOND TUR). ON 8 OCTOBER, THE FOREIGN
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS ISSUED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ACTIVITIES OF CONGRESSMEN PELL, HELMS AND ROSE AND THE SENATE AMENDMENT OF 6 OCTOBER ON THE TIB ET QUESTION
WHICH WERE DESPICABLE ACTS OF GROSS INTERFERENCE IN CHINA'S
INTERNAL AFFAIRS'' THE STATEMENT REITERATED THAT TIB ET WAS AN
INALIENABLE PART OF CHINESE TERRITORY AND THAT THE TIBETAN PEOPLE
WERE ALL MEMBERS OF THE BIG FAMILY OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE. ANY
QUESTION CONCERNING TIBET WAS CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIR, IN WHICH NO FOREIGN COUNTRY HAD THE RIGHT TO INTERFERE. ANY ATTEMPT TO SEVER
T IB ET FROM THE REST OF CHINA OR TO DISRUPT ITS UNITY WOULD MEET WITH
RESOLUTE OPPOSITION FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE, AND WOULD NEVER SUCCEED. THE STATEMENT WENT ON TO REGRET A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS (ALLEGED SLANDER OF CHINA OVER HUMAN RIGHTS, TAIWAN, FAMILY PLANNING AND SO ON) CREATED BY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN THE US CONGRESS, WHICH HAD BADLY HURT THE NATIONAL FEELINGS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE AND WHICH HAD BECOME A NEGATIVE FACTOR DETRIMENTAL TO THE
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF SINO-US RELATIONS. SUCH ACTIONS WERE NOT
ONLY OPPOSED BY THE CHINESE PEOPLE BUT WOULD ALSO BE OPPOSED BY THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE. IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFEGUARDING FRIENDSHIP AND
DEVELOPING RELATIONS, THEY SHOULD BE STOPPED.
6. BY TREATING THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE TIBET EPISODE AS A MATTER
BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESSN, THE CHINESE
ARE TRYING TO STOP THEM FROM BECOMING A MATTER BETWEEN THE U.S.
ADMINISTRATION AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. FRICTION WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT, HOWEVER, ALTOGETHER BEEN AVOIDED. THE AMERICANS HAVE OFFICIALLY PROTESTED AGAINST THE ORDER REMOVING JOURNALISTS
FROM LHASA AND A STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN HAS PUBLICLY EX PRESSED
REGRET OVER THE DECISION, CALLING IT A RESTRICTION ON THE FREE COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION. THE CHINESE MFA IN ITS TURN HAS CRITISED THIS US STATEMENT, SAYING THAT NO FOREIGN COUNTRY HAS THE
RIGHT TO MAKE SUCH IRRESPONSIBLE REMARKS.
COMMENTS: