
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 25, 1990                   TAG: 9005250539
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BEIJING                                LENGTH: Short

CULTURAL, TRADE ISSUES LINKED

Chinese officials have made it clear that loss of most-favored-nation trade status would lead not just to higher duties on U.S. products and a sharp drop in trade, but diminished political and cultural contacts as well.

Bush's decision can thus be seen as a Chinese diplomatic victory, but a limited one.

China's leaders still have failed to convince the White House or the U.S. Congress that how they treat political dissidents is an internal matter on which the United States has no right to comment.

Bush said he was not condoning China's suppression of dissent and urged Chinese leaders to improve their human rights record.

Many Americans still believe China's leaders should be punished in some way for having ordered the army to fire on unarmed pro-democracy protesters last June, when hundreds and perhaps thousands were killed.

Given such deep differences in outlook, continued friction between Beijing and Washington is inevitable.

by CNB