Chirac in China After Calling for End to EU Arms Embargo
AP 2004/10/9
Beijing
French President Jacques Chirac arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a state visit amid controversy over his call for the European Union to lift a ban on arms sales to Beijing imposed after the 1989 attack on pro-democracy protesters.
Chirac, who was hoping to promote commercial ties with China's fast-growing economy, was holding talks with President Hu Jintao and the two planned a joint news conference.
Chirac arrived in China late Friday in the southwestern city of Chengdu, where he toured a French-Chinese joint venture jet engine factory and then flew to the Chinese capital.
Before leaving Paris, Chirac told China's official Xinhua News Agency that France regarded the EU arms embargo as outdated and wanted it lifted "as soon as possible."
The New York-based group Human Rights in China criticized Chirac's comments, saying the passage of time hadn't diminished the seriousness of the attack in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. It said Chirac's comments "profoundly dishonor" Chinese who are still pressing their government to disclose the death toll and other details of the crackdown.
"The bloody suppression of unarmed civilians in Beijing in 1989 cannot be considered a matter of `another time' after 15 short years," the group said in a statement Saturday.
The EU, the United States and other governments banned weapons sales to China following the 1989 military attack on non-violent pro-democracy protests that killed hundreds and possibly thousands of people.
Chirac's appeal for the 25-nation EU to lift its arms embargo came as U.S. diplomats were lobbying for it to continue, arguing that lifting it would send the "wrong signal" on human rights.
Germany has joined France in calling for an end to the ban, but governments such as the Netherlands, Sweden are opposed on human rights grounds.
Chirac also told Xinhua he would lobby for French participation in a high-speed rail link between Beijing and Shanghai. French engineering giant Alstom is hoping China will choose its high-speed TGV trains for the project.
Chirac is the first major foreign leader to visit China since Hu was confirmed as the country's undisputed leader when he was named head of the military three weeks ago, succeeding former President Jiang Zemin.
It is Chirac's third visit to China, following trips in 1997 and 2000.
|
