China and the US should sign an agreement pledging not to use nuclear weapons first, a Chinese Ministry spokesman said here today. ``We believe it is more important for China and the United States to sign the no-first-use pact,'' the spokesman said when asked whether Beijing would sign an agreement on missile detargeting during Clinton's nine-day visit to China.

China's offer to sign detargeting pact, which could become centerpiece of Clinton's summit meeting with President Jiang Zemin, came amid reports that a group of senior US officials, led by National Security Council aide Sandra Kristoff, was trying to hammer out a last minute agreement on the issue.

National Security Adviser Sandy Berger said in Washington that theUnited States would raise ``serious and significant differences'' with China during the first visit by a US President to China since the 1989 Tiananmen square massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators.

Clinton's visit is coming at a time of instability in Asia brought about by a financial crisis that has sent markets crashing and nuclear tests by India and Pakistan. Clinton, who is facing ire for his decision to attend a welcoming ceremony at Tiananmen Square and a political controversy over campaign donations during his re-election, is likely to use the trip to defend his insistence that Washington must remain engaged with China and use the relationship that develops to see changes in Chinese behaviour, analysts said. On the other hand, China today called on the US to show ``a pragmatic and constructive'' approach to relations.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.