Week of October 4, 2002The U.S. and China This Week
DOMESTIC: Suicide bomber injures kills one, injures 18A suicide bomb blast in China's southwest city of Guilin left one man dead
and 18 injured. The explosion occurred on Wednesday evening in Guilin's Central
Square. Police said "an unidentified man who set off explosives to kill
himself" caused the blast. No information as to the bomber's motive has
been released thus far. Guilin is known for its hillside scenery, and attracts
many domestic and foreign tourists. A Guilin police spokesman reported that
none of those injured in the blast were foreigners. China is currently on
maximum security alert due to the National Day holiday, which began this Tuesday,
and in preparation for the 16th Party Congress, which is to take place this
November.
DOMESTIC: Snack shop owner sentenced to death after poisoning 38 peopleChen Zhengping, a snack shop owner in Nanjing, confessed Monday to adding
rat poison to a rival's food, which resulted in the death of 38 students and
workers two weeks ago. The Nanjing Number One Intermediate People's Court
rapidly sentenced Chen to execution on Monday before breaking for the weeklong
National Day holiday celebrations. A court official told the Associated Foreign
Press that Chen has, "10 days to appeal the verdict. If he does not file
an appeal, Jiangsu province's high court will review the verdict and then
make a final decision on whether Chen will be executed." As one of China's
worst public health disasters in recent years, it is highly unlikely that
the court would reverse the verdict. Next Summary ||Previous Summary
INTERNATIONAL: China remains ambiguous on a potential Security Council voteWhen asked Wednesday about China's stance toward public support from leaders
of the House of Representatives for President Bush and for a new United Nations
resolution on arms inspections in Iraq, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman
was quoted as saying, "the top priority at this moment is to let U.N.
weapon inspectors return to Iraq as soon as possible and start work smoothly."
He further stated that, "relevant actions of the Security Council should
take this as the aim and be conducive to promoting a political resolution
to the Iraqi issue." Although China has repeatedly reiterated that Iraq
should obey existing resolutions that permit the return of weapons inspectors,
it is assumed that China will abstain from a U.N. Security Council vote on
a new resolution. Presumably, China's inherent tension is the need to balance
positive ties to Iraq for future access to oil, with the greater need to maintain
and improve relations with the United States, especially in lieu of Jiang
Zemin's upcoming visit to Texas. Next Summary ||Previous Summary INTERNATIONAL: Dalai Lama envoy completes trip to ChinaAn envoy of the Dalai Lama, including the Dalai Lama's Washington representative
Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, recently expressed optimism for the start of a greater
dialogue with Beijing after an 18-day trip to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and
areas within Tibet. In the first public visit to Tibet by exiled officials of
the Tibetan spiritual leader since 1985, Gyari said, "We have made every
effort to create the basis for opening a new chapter in our relationship and
are fully aware that this task cannot be completed during a single visit."
In the last year, in addition to Beijing's increased willingness for a dialogue
with Dalai Lama representatives, the Chinese government has also indicated that
it will direct larger amounts of money to improve education and the economy
within Tibet.
Last updated: 17 January 2001 |
