Taiwan, human rights, freedom of faith, arms sales and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. U.S.-Chinese relations have plunged to a low point over the detention of the U.S. air crew and President Bush s approval last week of the largest arms sale to Taiwan in a decade. The Chinese are also concerned about stepped up U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the suspension of U.S.-China military exchanges, U.S. condemnation of China for human rights abuses, the downgrading of China s importance while ties to Japan are strengthened and possible opposition to its hosting the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Mr. Shambaugh said. The statement delivered yesterday by Mr. Kelly did not duck any of the sensitive issues which have troubled U.S.-China relations. Mr. Kelly said Mr. Bush intends to visit China in the fall when he will attend the meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Shanghai, a visit he described as representing the United States commitment to China s economic reforms.
China is a kind of friend.
Not a kind of enemy. On Hainan island, technicians from Lockheed Martin, the main contractor for the EP-3E surveillance plane, arrived yesterday at Haikou, the capital, the Pentagon said. They are to travel today to the military airfield where the plane is located, spokesman Navy Lt. Cmdr. Terry Sutherland said in Washington. Mr. Kelly said the United States would not pay reparations to China for the crash of its fighter, which collided with the American EP-3E airplane.