Chinese mark Yugoslav embassy bomb

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- China's foreign minister has laid a wreath at the gate of Beijing's ruined embassy in Belgrade to commemorate three people killed when it was hit during last year's NATO air campaign.

Tang Jiaxuan, the first senior Chinese official to visit Yugoslavia since the fall of President Slobodan Milosevic following democratic elections two months ago, said the attack had been a show of power.

"If anyone wants to know what the policy of a big power is, then this is the best proof of that," the minister said after going round the deserted building, which appeared to have been untouched since the bomb hit it on May 7, 1999.

IN-DEPTH Yugoslavia in Transition   • Balkan hotspots   • War crimes defendants   • Milosevic profile   • Kostunica profile   • Ambition and wealth   • Timeline 1945-2000   • Shrinking of Yugoslavia   • Message board   • Sanctions highlights   • Sick society   • Aftermath of an uprising   • Serbia: A day of change   • Protest in pictures

The attack, which both NATO and Washington said was a mistake, sparked violent anti-NATO demonstrations both in Belgrade and in China, putting Beijing's diplomatic relations with the United States on ice.

Tang's visit to Yugoslavia has been seen as a show of support for the new president Vojislav Kostunica, whom Beijing recognised only two days after a popular uprising forced Milosevic to concede electoral defeat.

Yugoslavia's Deputy Premier Miroljub Labus said on Sunday that China had agreed not to press Belgrade to repay millions of dollars in debt.

Speaking after talks, Labus, who is in charge of foreign economic relations, also said China was interested in completing a $200 million trade agreement sealed with Milosevic's government, of which $77 million has not been used.

Without elaborating, the deputy prime minister mentioned another $200 million made available to Belgrade to be used to boost Belgrade's foreign currency reserves.

Tang also signed a communique with Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic in which the two nations agreed to respect all agreements reached so far and opened the doors for further cooperation.

China strongly opposed the 78-day bombing campaign to drive Yugoslav forces out of Kosovo and, along with Russia and other non-Western countries, had been a close ally of Milosevic.

During his embassy visit, Tang said Chinese people would never forget what had happened that day, adding: "This is the territory of the People's Republic of China. This was bombed and attacked by the big power from the West."

Tang said the attack explained why China described the West's concern for human rights as "false."

"If anyone wants to know why China always criticises the West for their human rights policy of double standards, then this is where they should come and everything should be clear," he said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao, travelling with Tang, said the Americans had reached agreement with Beijing to pay $28 million in compensation.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Kosovo: Prospects For Peace
Chinese official lays wreath at Belgrade embassy
June 13, 2000
Security Council expresses 'deep distress' over embassy bombing
May 14, 1999
Chinese, Russians condemn embassy attack, call for bombing halt
May 8, 1999

Chinese Government (in Chinese)
NATO

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.