THE MACHINE
FOREIGN POLICY
Clinton's Foriegn Policy Outline for the Beginning of the Century
Strengthening Alliances and
Building Partnerships
Built a stronger and larger NATO to ensure a more stable,
democratic Europe and a fully-integrated Russia.
Deepening security alliances with Japan and South Korea.
Built more constructive relationship with China through
engagement and frank dialogue on human rights, security and trade.
Expanding trade relations and strengthening democracy in Asia and
Latin America.
Building partnerships with Africa during historic Presidential
trip.
Relations Before the New Foriegn Policy
Zhang Wannian, Vice Chairman of the Central Military
Commission of China, is visiting the United States at the
invitation of US Secretary of Defense William Cohen. This is
another high level visit which will further promote relations
between China and the U.S. and, specially will help make concrete
arrangements for furthering military ties between the two
countries in line with the agreements reached by the two
presidents. On September 15, President Bill Clinton met with
General Zhang in the White House. Clinton told Zhang that the
United States sees its ties and friendship with China as being of
great importance. Zhang said China and the United States have
extensive common interest in and great potential for developing
bilateral relations. Such a development is conducive to peace and
stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole. On
the morning of the same day, Zhang and Cohen held talks on
military co-operation. They signed a joint statement afterwards
on military environmental protection. The statement said the US
Defense Department and China's Defense Ministry have agreed to
exchange technical representative groups to study military
environmental protection and discuss the signature of a technical
document on the exchange of relevant information. This is another
step towards closer military-to-military ties between the two
countries. Both sides have also agreed to carry out sand-table
exercises on disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, and to
send observers to the other side's military exercises and
dispatch students to study in the other side's military
institutions in 1999. A Chinese ship will visit the United States
in 1999 and a seminar on sea search and rescue will be conducted.
During his visit, Zhang will visit several military bases and
watch military exercises in the United States
Policy in Action
WASHINGTON (AP) The United States will formally accuse China of wholesale violations of the human rights of its people. The decision was announced today by the State Department spokesman, James P. Rubin, who assured Beijing at the same time that the Clinton administration would maintain its policy of "engagement'' with China. The U.N. Human Rights Commission opened its annual session this week in Geneva, Switzerland, with a plea for more efforts to prevent abuses and to punish the guilty. During the six-week commission meeting, allegations of violations in countries including Iraq, Sudan and Myanmar as well as the Yugoslav province of Kosovo also are likely to be examined. The U.S. decision reflects findings in a report to Congress by the State Department that China last year went into reverse on human rights after some past signs of progress. The announcement coincided with one from the Chinese government that Premier Zhu Rongi would visit Washington early next month. U.S. relations with China already are in a downspin over suspicions that China pilfered information on miniaturizing nuclear warheads from a U.S. laboratory. Rubin said a resolution the U.S. delegation planned to introduce in late April at the commission meeting in Geneva would reflect the "sense of deep concern'' within the administration with China's human rights abuses. "China's human rights record has deteriorated sharply,'' the spokesman said. Albright notified Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan about the U.S. move in Geneva, Rubin said.
COMMENTS
Since the end of civil conflicts in the Balkans, Clinton is beginning to realize that he needs a new region to exploit with over-involvement. Unfortunatly, he chose the same region that Kennedy, Nixon and LBJ chose. The United States is in a position of political volitlity with China greater even then in 1989, after the massacre at T. Square. I'm not a seasoned Clinton basher, but if I have one major problem with him it would be this bulldog interventianalist attitude. It will be interesting to see how Gore is going to take over this situation.