STRENGTHENING TIES WITH CHINA.

Chinese Vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen arrives September 21 in Moscow on an official three-day visit. Qian will hold talks with Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev and Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin before leaving for the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The visit also is designed to establish the agenda and a date for Yeltsin’s visit to China later this year. Chernomyrdin also plans to stop off in China on September 26 en route to South Korea. (6)

The visit continues an intensification of contacts between Beijing and Moscow designed to keep up the momentum in improving relations after years of confrontation. Both sides present glowing reports of their meetings at a time when their relations with the West are difficult. For Russia in particular, the search for better relations with China reflects a desire to balance and offset relations with the United States.

The two sides hope to complete the demarcation of their mutual border, find agreement on measures to prevent border disputes in the future, and improve trade ties, including possibly in sophisticated arms. Yeltsin visited China in December 1992, Defense Minister Grachev was there in April 1994, Chernomyrdin last visited in June 1994, and Kozyrev went to Peking in March of this year.

Revision of Republics’ Constitutions Discussed.