Xinhua+CNA: China+Taiwan

[bich dao <daotb@yahoo.com>]

Five-Nation Summit Begins in Kyrgyzstan

   BISHKEK, August 25 (Xinhua) -- The summit meeting 
between China,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan started here
Wednesday morning.
   The summit is being attended by Chinese President Jiang 
Zemin,
Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Kazakhstan President 
Nursultan
Nazarbayev, Kyrgyzstan President Askar Akayev, and Tajikistan
President Emomali Rakhmonov.
   During the summit, leaders of the five countries will discuss
regional security and economic cooperation and are expected to
sign a joint statement at the end of the meeting at noon local
time.
   The current summit is the fourth since 1996. Over the years,
the five countries have signed agreements on building 
confidence
in military areas along the border and on mutual reduction of
military forces along the border region.
   Hours after Chinese President Jiang Zemin's arrival here
Tuesday afternoon, Russian President Boris Yeltsin arrived in 
the
evening. The two leaders held an hour-long breakfast meeting
Wednesday.
   Jiang also held hour-long talks with Kazakhstan President
Nursultan Nazarbayev on Tuesday afternoon.  Enditem
---------
Beijing Suffering from Severe Drought


BEIJING, August 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese capital, which had 
expected a bitter battle against heavy floods during this
year's rainy season, is now suffering from severe drought.

According to the Beijing Municipal Anti-Flood and Drought 
Relief Headquarters, the city had only 263 mm of rainfall in this
year's rainy season, half of that of the same period last year.

Water reserves in the city's main sources of water, the Miyun 
and the Guanting reservoirs, have also kept declining, as a
result of less rainfall this year.

Only 15 million cubic meters of water flew into the Miyun 
Reservoir from June to July this year, the least amount over 
same
periods in the past few years. Meanwhile, water influx into the 
Guanting Reservoir also dropped by about 76 percent from
the average over recent years.

Experts said that Beijing's underground water level has also 
dropped by 0.45 to 2.39 meters, and they suggested that
measures be taken to encourage economic use of water. 
---------
MAINLAND TROOPS SLOWING DOWN ACTIVITIES: MND

    Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) Affected by Typhoon Sam, military 
troops in
mainland  China  have  slowed  down training activities over the 
past
week, Ministry of National Defense (MND) spokesman Gen. 
Kung Fan-ding
said on Tuesday.
    Due  to the influence of Typhoon Sam, Kung said in a regular 
news
briefing,  mainland  China's  troops  have taken special 
anti-typhoon
measures,  but  the  measures  pose  no  threat  to Taiwan's 
national
security.
    During  the  period  from  Aug.  17-24,  exercises  conducted  
by
mainland  Chinese  ground troops and its Navy were limited to 
routine
training,  while  the mainland Chinese Air Force has not 
demonstrated
any  unusual  activities,  and  it is evident that fewer missions 
are
being flown by mainland fighters.
    Stressing  that  the  ROC armed forces will maintain their 
combat
readiness  and  remain on high alert to safeguard Taiwan, Kung 
called
on  the  public to stay calm and assured it that ROC troops are 
ready
to counter any situation across the Taiwan Strait.
    The  MND  will  continue monitoring movements by mainland 
Chinese
troops  and  will  explain  the  latest cross-strait situation to the
public at appropriate times as part of its efforts to stem the 
spread
of groundless rumors, Kung pointed out.
(By Flor Wang)
ENDITEM                         
/c
^Z


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