U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

Comments by
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
Following Bilateral Meeting With
Chinese Foreign Minister Tang
Hanoi, Vietnam (Lobby)
July 25, 2001

QUESTION: Secretary Powell do you care to comment on the release of Li Shaomin this morning.

SECRETARY POWELL: Well I'm very pleased to hear that, that's all I have right now. That's breaking news.

QUESTION: Let us all know how your meeting with Foreign Minister Tang went.

SECRETARY POWELL: I had a very good meeting with my Chinese colleague, we discussed in general terms the state of our relationship. We think things are improving. The EP incident is behind us. We talked about some of the cases that have been in the press, and I'm pleased that several of those cases are now on the way to resolution on humanitarian grounds. You will see that quite, in a quite obvious way within the next 24 or so hours.

We had a good discussion, and he looks forward to continuing the discussion in Beijing when I get there this weekend. So I think the relationship is on an upswing now, now that these irritations are behind us. I know they are anxious to move forward.

We both had, I think, a good set of exchanges in the ARF forum earlier, talking about the need for economic development in China, and to do that, they need a peaceful situation in the region. So they are anxious to work with us. They believe that we have a role to play in the region; they are not trying to squeeze us out. We're going to be talking about economic development, about regional security.

I thought it was an excellent meeting. We're off to a good start in this round.

QUESTION: Are you saying that Gao Zhan is getting medical parole?

SECRETARY POWELL: I will let the Chinese characterize her situation in the way that they wish to characterize it.

QUESTION: Will Gao Zhan be on her way home before you get to Beijing?

QUESTION: What are we going to see in the next 24 hours?

END