1-1 2- The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 25, 1997 NATION/WORLD Gore Chinaz Las Angeles Tnes BEIJING - Launching the highest- level official U.S. visit to China since the bloody Tiananmen Square crack- down of 1989, Vice President Al Gore arrived here yesterday and a grateful China prepared to thank the United States by signing two major deals with American companies. Gore and Chinese Premier Li Peng Mlanned to witness today the signing of a $685 million order for five Boeing Co. 777-200 passenger jets and an Agreement with General Motors to cre- ate a $1.3 billion joint venture to pro- duzce 100,000 Buicks a year in China. "these transactions ... are proof posi- tiVe that there is greater economic coop- eration between China and the United States," said Gore spokesperson Ginny Terzano. "This is an important land- mark in China-U.S. relations.' The deals with GM and Boeing were long in the making, and the Chinese government, which still controls the vast majority of the economy, was fol- lowing a well-worn tradition of sealing major business transactions on the eve of a visit by an important foreign offi- cial. "You can assume that the fact that the vice president is here visiting pro- vides good timing" for the agreements, a senior administration official said here, requesting anonymity. Gore's four-day visit is somewhat clouded by the political controversy at home over allegations that China ille- gally attempted to influence U.S. elec- POP- AROUND THE NArdm. Court endorses scrambling of channels WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court yesterday allowed the government to begin enforcing a law that requires cable operators to completely scramble the visual and audio signals of certain sexually explicit programs so that children do not inadvertently see indecent programs. Cable television customers typically receive sex-oriented networks such as Playboy Television or Spice Entertainment only if they have paid for the progra* ming. Customers who do not subscribe get a scrambled signal. But in many cases, according to court filings, cable operators lack the equipment to fully scramble the video portion of the signal or to scramble the audio signal at all. The new law, part of a massive telecommunications overhaul approved by Congress and signed by President Clinton in February 1996, was intended to ensure that children in non-subscribing homes do not see shows intended for adult viewers. It requires an operator to completely scramble or block the signal or, if that is not feasible, to transmit sexually explict adult programming only between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Playboy Entertainment Group and Spice Entertainment Companies had sought an injunction barring enforcement of the law while they challenged it on F Amendment grounds. The high court, without issuing an opinion or a recorded voT Monday, summarily affirmed a special three-judge panel's denial of the injuction. AP PHOTO Chinese Premier U Peng, center, and U.S. Vice President Al Gore, right, greet guests yesterday at Beijing's Great Hall of the People. Gore and U later watched as an agreement between China and Boeing was signed for the purchase of five jets.. tions. The charges, being investigated by the Justice Department, are among an array of campaign-finance troubles plaguing the Clinton White House. The vice president has said he will raise the issue of influence-peddling in his talks with Chinese President Jiang Zemin or Prime Minister Li Peng, but he stressed that the focus of his trip is promoting stronger bilateral relations. Issues on his list for talks with Li and President Jiang Zemin included trade, human rights, environment and nuclear non-proliferation. "I have traveled here to reaffirm the vital importance of relations between our nations," Gore said in a statement issued upon his arrival in Beijing on last evening. "The landscape of U.S.-China relations is filled with many rivers, some flowing together, others flowing apart. Such variety befits the interaction of two great nations and civiliza- tions." By going forward with his trip despite the potentially adverse politi- cal appearances, Gore sent a strong signal to China that the Clinton administration will not let the cam- paign-finance controversy interrupt high-level contacts between the two governments or inhibit efforts to improve trade ties. "The visit has enormous significance to the Chinese," said Mike Jendrzejczyk, a China policy analyst and Washington Director of Asia Watch, a human-rights organization. "It demonstrates that the United States wants to remove the Tiananmen stigma for once and for all." The visit is particularly timely for President Jiang Zemin, who took power when longtime leader Deng Xiaoping died last month and is striving to con- solidate his power. Jiang hopes to make a state visit to Washington in November and host Clinton on a reciprocal visit next year. Gore's visit is seen as a step- pingstone to those trips. Economists expect interest rates to rise WASHINGTON - Even though inflation shows no signs of worsening, the Federal Reserve apparently is preparing to raise interest rates for the first time in two years. Fed Chair Alan Greenspan seems bent on pre-emptive action - the economic equivalent of firing before the enemy actually gets to the battlefield. The nation's inflation rate is actually lower so far this year: 2.3 percent for January and February compared with 3.3 percent for all of last year. But based on Greenspan's public statements, economists believe a quar- ter-point increase in short-term rates is the nearly certain result of today's meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the central bank's mone- tary policy arm. In congressional testimony last week, Greenspan stressed the "impor- tance of acting promptly - ideally pre- emptively - to keep inflation low." "If this is not the handwriting on the wall, I don't know what is' said econ- omist Sung Won Sohn of Norwest Corp. in Minneapolis. If all goes as anticipated, the Fed will drain reserves from the banking sys- tem, pushing the rate charged among banks on overnight loans from 5 percent to 5.5 percent. It will be e first increase since Feb. 1, 1995. Tuberculosis cases drop nationwide WASHINGTON - The number of tuberculosis cases in Washington increased by 36 percent last year, according to federal figures rele yesterday, which showed that the .e rence of the disease in the nation as a whole dropped for a fourth consecutive year. Overall, the number of active tuber- culosis cases in the United States declined by 7 percent between 1995 and 1996, with most states reporting decreases, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Are You Interested in Going to Israel this Summer and Earnin Six Credits from the University of Michigan? Are You Interested in Participating in a Fascinating Archeological Dig, Traveling throughout Israel and Experiencing A Remarkable Ancient and Modern Country??- And all of this for Only $1300. if so, please call Hillel at 769-0500 or stop by or office (1429 Hill Street) for an application. This special program has limited room and we will be selecting trom applications soon. UROLOG ST Continued from Page 1 and no more than 25 percent from all corporations without prior approval. Oesterling's colleagues yesterday remained confused over the suspension. "I always thought he was an excellent researcher and provided excellent patient care;' said Mack Ruffin, associate pro- fessor in the School of Medicine. Ruffin said he worked with Oesterling on several projects, manuscripts and pub- lications, but has no experience in any of his financial arrangements. Ruffin added that he did not know enough to substantiate the allegations. Thomas Dunn, chair of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, said he expects the results of the investigation to be announced in a week or two. Dunn said Oesterling remains a fac- ulty member of the School of Medicine, where he teaches surgery. Oesterling said the investigation was "no big deal" and was upbeat about returning to work. "I want to get my tail back in the office, to help people and solve this problem with prostate cancer" he said. "That's my commitment?' One patient who had been scheduled for an operation with Oesterling said he went to the University specifically because of Oesterling's reputation. . . . . . . . . . . . ARoUND THE WORL 1 Look for the Coopers and Lybrand ad in today's paper! Palesfinian violence gives 'mixed-signals' HEBRON, West Bank - In one West Bank riot yesterday, Palestinian police formed a human chain and pushed Palestinian stone-throwers away from Israeli troops. In another, Yasser Arafat's troops stood by and watched for hours, with one officer finally telling protesters to go home and "save your energy for another day." Israel says Arafat's security forces are sending mixed signals about the Palestinian Authority's attitude toward violence. But Palestinian leaders insist they are simply having a difficult time controlling anger over Israel's hard-line policies. The different approaches yesterday in Hebron and Bethlehem may also reflect disagreement among Palestinians over how to respond to Israel's decision to build a large Jewish neighborhood in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as a capital. "We are telling Arafat stop the dou- ble game, get serious and address us with one voice,' said Dore Gold, for- eign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli officials say that even aft suicide bomber linked to the Hamas group killed three women in a Tel Aviv cafe Friday, Arafat has not moved to rein in militant groups. Zaire's prime minister resigns KINSHASA, Zaire - Zaire's pim minister resigned yesterday, bowin; pressure from lawmakers who blamed him for mishandling an insurgency by rebels who have captured a third of the country. Leon Kengo wa Dondo's departure came a day after his mentor, President Mobutu Sese Seko, -emerged from seclusion. Mobutu promised leaders to make clear "within 48 hours" his impending plans to reunite the country. - Compiledfrom Daily wire reports. HeadngH ome for Summer? 'At Get ahead of the gamethsfail. AtOakland University, you can choose from more than 600 spring or summer courses offered at our beautiful and convenient campus -- many during the evening and on Saturday. You can transfer, the credits back to your home institution in the fall. For a complete schedule of classes anid application, contact the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Management today. by phonae: 1-890-433-1995. by fax: -810-370-4462, by e-mail: ouinfo@oakland.edu UNRSITY i The Michigan Daily (ISSN 07454967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigen. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $85. Winter term (January through April) is $95, yearlong (September through April) is $165. 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