POMP AND SYMBOLISM; CLINTON VISITS SITE OF BLOODY '89 PROTEST IN CHINA.

Byline: Jennifer Lin and Steven Thomma Knight Ridder Newspapers

Eager to improve relations despite lingering tensions, President Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin greeted each other in controversial Tiananmen Square and reached agreements today to ease the risk of war between each other and other countries.

``A stable, open, prosperous China, shouldering its responsibility for a safer world, is better for America,'' Clinton said following a meeting with Jiang in the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders took careful note of the progress in their talks but also touched on the differences that still exist between their two giant nations.

``As China and the United States have different social systems, ideologies, values and cultural traditions, we have some difference of views on certain issues,'' Jiang said. ``However, they should not become the obstacles in the way of the growth of China-U.S. relations. . . ''

The two leaders announced that they will no longer aim nuclear missiles at each other; that China is considering joining the international Missile Control Technology Regime that seeks to limit the spread of missiles and missile technology; that both countries will strengthen controls on exports of chemicals or technology that can be used in chemical weapons; and that both countries will seek to strengthen international controls over biological weapons.

They also agreed to allow inspections of U.S. high-technology exports to China, and reaffirmed their commitment to end the export of land mines and accelerate efforts to remove land mines.

Despite their mutual desire to draw the United States and China closer to each other, the two leaders reached only a vague agreement to talk more later on human rights.

``While the two countries have differences on human rights, they agree that candid dialogue is an important element for resolving those differences,'' said a statement released by the White House.

China's treatment of its own people - underscored by its massacre of hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square nine years ago and punctuated by its detaining of dissidents during Clinton's visit - remains the main point of contention between the two countries.

On the issue of human rights, Clinton said America still had some issues of its own to resolve, but said ``I welcome the progress we made today in nonproliferation.''

The agreement to stop aiming missiles at one another is largely symbolic, but is a gesture that might help to ease the criticism of Clinton for allowing American satellites to be launched from Chinese rockets.

Washington reached a similar agreement with Russia several years ago.

The agreements are mostly symbolic since nuclear missiles can be retargeted in a matter of minutes. But it does lower the risk of an accidental launch at the United States or China.

White House spokesman Barry Toiv said the United States would not confirm whether it has any missiles aimed at China; the CIA reportedly has concluded that China has 13 nuclear missiles aimed at the United States.

Clinton and Jiang announced their agreements in a joint statement at the Great Hall of the People, where they met for about two hours. Their meeting came after Clinton was formally welcomed to China outside the hall, at the edge of Tiananmen, the first U.S. president to visit here since the 1989 massacre.

Clinton had swallowed his own earlier personal complaints about China and decided it was worth it to engage the country and even to accept the formal greeting in Tiananmen Square.

The two leaders stood at attention for their national anthems, then listened to a 21-gun salute. Clinton solemnly reviewed a group of Chinese soldiers standing at attention, wearing olive green or white or powder blue uniforms. He then watched quietly as some soldiers goose-stepped past him and Jiang.

Even before the ceremony began, Chinese authorities sent a strong signal that this is still not a free country - and that the pageantry is meant more for U.S. eyes than Chinese.

An hour before Clinton arrived, Chinese police abruptly cleared the massive square of the thousands of people who had gathered there in a festive atmosphere under Chinese and U.S. flags to watch the event.

``It's a pity, I can't see anything,'' said Wang Man, a disappointed 11-year-old girl.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) President Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin review military troops Saturday in Beijing, China.

David Longstreath/Associated Press

(2) President Clinton, daughter Chelsea and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton toured Xian, China, Saturday.

Scott Applewhite/Associated Press