China chases Bush-Jiang 'showcase'

The aim is for a mini-summit when China's Jiang meets the U.S. president

By Willy Wo-Lap Lam
Senior China Analyst

(CNN) -- Beijing is anxious that the anti-terrorist campaign not overshadow the meeting of global leaders at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Shanghai later this month.

And while the Chinese leadership is expected to pledge support for fighting terrorism under UN auspices, it also hopes to showcase at APEC China's spectacular growth and its business opportunities.

Diplomatic sources in Beijing said Chinese diplomats would engage in considerable haggling with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly during his visit to Beijing early next week.

Kelly hopes to put the finishing touches to preparations for the "mini-summit" between Presidents George W. Bush and Jiang Zemin on the fringes of APEC.

Kelly is also expected to discuss the APEC agenda with his hosts.

American officials have indicated the U.S. side hopes the Bush-Jiang meeting would tackle issues including counter-terrorism, missile defense, and non-proliferation of weapons.

Taiwan, separatism

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However, the Chinese are understood to favor putting the issues of Taiwan as well as separatism in Xinjiang and Tibet on the agenda of the min-summit.

For example, Jiang would press Bush to scale down arms sales to Taiwan -- and to reduce criticism of Beijing's tactics in Xinjiang and Tibet -- in return for China's cooperation against terrorism.

This is despite a statement by Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday that Washington's policy on Taiwan would not be changed in the wake of U.S.-Chinese cooperation on the anti-terrorist front.

A source close to China's organizing committee for APEC said the Chinese leadership would like the opportunity to showcase investment and other opportunities in the country.

"The September 11 episode has brought a pall to the global economy but China has been able to maintain its growth rate of at least 7 percent," the source said.

"Beijing hopes to play up business opportunities in China. At APEC, it will also argue for a more 'equitable' international trading structure."