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Standoff in South China Sea; World Leaders Arrive in Germany for G7 Summit; Calls for FIFA Reform; Imagine a World. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired June 04, 2015 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN HOST (voice-over): Tonight: China speaks out, a rare and exclusive interview with Beijing's ambassador to Washington on the

anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre and on the newest territorial claims in the South China Sea.

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CUI TIANKAI, CHINESE AMBASSADOR: I think that the fact is the status quo has been changed by others for a long, long time. So what we are doing is

to sort of restore the status quo as it should be.

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AMANPOUR (voice-over): Plus the child star taking the jazz world by storm: we meet the pint-sized pianist with a Number 1 album.

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AMANPOUR: Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the program. I'm Christiane Amanpour.

Tonight: China and a heartbreaking human drama continues on the Yangtze River, as rescue officials are now turning over the boat that was carrying

retirees on a cruise and which capsized this week. Hundreds of people are still missing and President Xi Jinping says every deck, every cabin must be

checked for survivors.

And a potentially game-changing standoff in the South China Sea. China and the United States in a war of words over who has the right to change the

status quo there. Last week CNN was on board a U.S. Navy surveillance flight over the thousands of new acres that China is dredging before the

Beijing issued this stiff warning.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (from captions): Foreign military aircraft: this is Chinese Navy. You are approaching our military alerting zone. Leave

immediately in order to avoid misjudgment.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): And today on the 26th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, I have a rare interview with Beijing's man in Washington.

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AMANPOUR: Cui Tiankai is China's ambassador to the United States and he joined me earlier to try to lower the temperature while also insisting on

China's sovereign rights.

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AMANPOUR: Ambassador Cui, Ambassador Cui welcome back to this program.

CUI: It's so good to talk to you again, Christiane.

AMANPOUR: Let me ask you because at this moment, the whole world is watching and sympathizing with the efforts to save lives and rescue people

from that catastrophic boat disaster in the Yangtze.

Do you think that any more people will be found alive and can all the bodies be raised?

CUI: Thank you for your expression of sympathy and support. We're doing everything possible to search and save lives there.

AMANPOUR: I know you're doing everything possible; there's also a lot of complaints, as you know, from the families who are trying to get to the

area.

Is there something more that the government or the local authorities can do to keep those families fully informed all the time?

CUI: I think most of the families are already on the site as well as the media. And the operation is still going on. I just hope and pray that

more lives will be saved.

AMANPOUR: So does everybody, of course.

Now let me turn to the big geopolitical rifts that are going on between China and the United States.

Why is it, Mr. Ambassador, that China feels the need to change the status quo with building this enormous amount of territory, dredging and building

in the South China Sea?

CUI: Well, first of all, I have to point out what China is doing there is fully within the scope of our sovereignty. So there is no -- there is

nothing for others to get worried. Besides, this is not an issue and should not be an issue between China and the United States because the

United States has no territorial claims in the region.

AMANPOUR: You say it's within your territorial sovereign rights. But you are changing the status quo. You are building something out of nothing.

Vice President Biden has called it a major rupture, a rift, a fault line.

CUI: I think that the fact is the status quo has been changed by others for a long, long time. So what we are doing is to sort of restore the

status quo as it should be. So there is no reason for others to make such accusations against China.

What we are doing is to -- just to build facilities that will mainly help ships of China and other countries. Of course we have some defense

facilities there but it's only for defense.

AMANPOUR: Well, let me ask you, because obviously there have been military reconnaissance. There have been planes that have gone to try to see what's

going on. And of course as you know, CNN was on one of them recently and had to turn back when they were challenged by Chinese authorities.

You know, this is a very tense situation.

Is China considering putting up an air defense zone around that part of the South China Sea?

CUI: Well, I hope CNN would also show to the people what others have done for a long, long time in the region. That would be more factual

presentation.

And besides, what we are doing is, as I said, mainly for civilian purposes. So there is really no need for others to send so many military

reconnaissance planes to the region. And this is really, against the letter and the spirit of the convention of the law of the sea.

AMANPOUR: Ambassador, do you foresee China putting up an air exclusion zone around that part of the South China Sea, as has happened in the East

China Sea?

CUI: The United States was the first country in the world to set up such zones. And there are now over 20 countries who have already set up such

zones.

So China certainly has a right to do the same. But whether we will do it or not will be based on our assessment of the situation and we will

certainly do it with caution.

AMANPOUR: I do hear what you're saying and those words you use are, I assume, calculated to try to lower the temperature. And the United States

appears to be trying to lower the temperature as well, asking all its allies and friends in the region, everybody, to stop building in the sea.

But a newspaper with ties to the government has said the following -- and I'd love to get your reaction to this.

Basically, "If the United States' bottom line is that China has to halt its activities, then a U.S.-China war is inevitable in the South China Sea."

Really, Ambassador, a war?

CUI: Well, first of all, I wish the U.S. would really do something to lower the temperature, to reduce the tensions there. So I hope people in

the U.S. will refrain from making all the coersive statements, will refrain from making all the coersive actions there.

Besides, I don't think that we should allow this single issue to dominate our bilateral agenda. So I don't think that we should go to confrontation

and conflicts just over this issue.

AMANPOUR: Well, obviously everybody hopes that this particular crisis will see the temperature lowered.

But may I ask you about another crisis of 26 years ago?

Of course, as you're aware, it is the 26th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown and this March your prime minister did say the following.

He said that, "The leaders of a state should bear historical responsibility for their predecessors' crimes."

And then of course the Tiananmen Mothers, an activist group, is calling for the current leadership to accept responsibility for what happened that day.

Will it?

Is it time now, quarter of a century later, to say sorry, to accept, as the prime minister said, responsibility?

CUI: I think what has happened in the past quarter of a century has shown convincingly that China is on the right track. And everybody in the world

agree the leadership in Beijing has a very strong sense of responsibility to the nation and to the international community.

AMANPOUR: So do you anticipate any further reachout by the leadership to the people, to the mothers, to the activist groups?

CUI: I'm quite convinced that China will continue its path of peaceful development and will realize the Chinese dream.

AMANPOUR: Let me ask you about an area of cooperation that's very obvious and important and that is on the issue of climate change. Now China, which

is now the world's biggest polluter, has promised to cap emissions and to do all sorts of important things by the year 2030, I think it is.

How seriously is the Chinese government taking its commitment to tackle this really important problem?

And we do always see these dreadful smog days in China, of course.

CUI: I really believe that what we have in common far outweighs where we differ from each other. And we should not allow our differences overshadow

our common interests and a growing need for cooperation.

And climate change would be a good example for cooperation. We made a good statement last November during President Obama's visit to China and I'm

sure we'll continue to make progress and we will do more to respond to climate change together with other countries.

AMANPOUR: Ambassador Cui, thank you so much indeed for joining us from Washington today.

CUI: Thank you. So good to talk to you again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AMANPOUR: And just a note: one of the enduring and most iconic images of the Tiananmen non-violent protest was this one, one man, clutching his

shopping bags and simply standing in front of a column of tanks, barring their way with his body. To this day, though, we don't know for sure what

happened to that man or the price he paid for that brave act of defiance.

After a break, we turn to defiance at the head of Europe. CNN sits down with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of hosting the G7 meeting --

next.

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AMANPOUR: Welcome back to the program.

In a few days, leaders of the developed world descend on Germany, which hosts this year's G7 summit -- no longer the G8 since Russia was suspended

for annexing Crimea.

Now perhaps more than any other Western leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel has been steering and negotiating the continent through its toughest

crises, from Greece's crippling debt and the threats of default there to enforcing a barely tenable cease-fire in Ukraine and trying to stave off

further aggression by Russia's Vladimir Putin.

And today in Berlin the chancellor shared some of her insights with CNN's Fred Pleitgen in a rare interview ahead of hosting the summit.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The G7 summit has to deal with basically a world in turmoil right now. One of the things that's going to

be very important is fighting international terrorism, especially to the United States.

Drying up terrorist finances, what can the G7 do and how can you lead on that subject?

ANGELA MERKEL, CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY (through translator): The G7 is a format where we speak openly and at length about foreign policy problems

and we invite (ph). And I have, especially, in order to push combating terror at the center, invited the presidents of Tunisia and Nigeria and the

Iraqi prime minister.

I think we will have a great chance to speak about ISIS and also Boko Haram, about the dangers when these terror groups start cooperating. And

also we will be able to map out common ways on how to cooperate in the future. We will not solve this problem but we have an interesting format

where all of these issues that are very important to the U.S. can be talked about and further steps can be agreed.

PLEITGEN: As far as international finances and the economy are concerned, many people are very, very concerned about the situation with Greece right

now, whether or not, Greece will default and especially the U.S. says it believes there needs to be a long-term solution to all of this. Every time

there's a default payment due, it's always on the brink of a tragedy.

How can that be solved in the long term?

MERKEL (through translator): Of course, to find a solution -- and I want a solution just like all my European colleagues -- we need big efforts by

both sides. We, the partners from the Eurozone, have to show solidarity. And I am glad the IMF is also engaged.

At the same time, Greece has to be willing to undertake the necessary reforms because in the end the country brings itself on a group course by

its own efforts. And we have other European countries that have undertaken harsh reforms like Ireland. They went through such a program and now have

the best growth in the Eurozone.

That is the kind of course Greece needs to get on. And that is why it is tough negotiations that they are clearly aimed at keeping Greece in the

Eurozone.

PLEITGEN: There's some people who say that the most important person at G7 would have been the G8, would have been Vladimir Putin, who's obviously not

there.

How concerned are you about the current situation because it seems as though the conflict is flaring up again?

And how can Russia be brought back into the fold to try and solve all of this?

MERKEL (through translator): Germany and France, together with President Obama, are trying to find a solution to the Ukraine crisis. Vladimir Putin

as president, by annexing Crimea, has decided to leave out common value base. That is why he is not attending this format.

But there are formats where we talk to Russia, like the Normandy format for the Ukraine crisis. There are the P5+1 talks for Iran's nuclear program.

And I'm really happy that the Secretary of State Kerry visited President Putin in Moscow because in order to solve the Syria civil war drama, it

will be necessary to get Russia on board. And we will all support this from the G7 side.

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AMANPOUR: Turning now to the FIFA fiasco that continues to grow, the former FIFA executive at the center of America's investigation, Chuck

Blazer, admits corruption in court documents that were just released.

"I and others on the FIFA executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the

2010 World Cup," he said, among several other instances.

Meanwhile another target: former FIFA executive Jack Warner is threatening, quote, "an avalanche" of incriminating documents against Sepp

Blatter himself.

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JACK WARNER, FORMER FIFA OFFICIAL: Blatter knows why he fell. And if there's one other person who knows, I do.

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AMANPOUR: So we don't know what he's going to say, but a loud, internal voice for FIFA reform is Chung Mong-Joon. He's a long-time executive who

joined me just a little while ago from Seoul, South Korea.

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AMANPOUR: Welcome to the program, MJ Chung. Thanks for joining me.

CHUNG MONG-JOON, HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT OF FIFA: Thank you, Christiane.

AMANPOUR: You have been a member of FIFA; you've been a former vice president. You're still there in an honorary capacity.

Do you really think that the resignation of Sepp Blatter in itself is the solution to this very, very serious problem?

CHUNG: Yes. It was inevitable and also very long overdue. I had served FIFA as vice president for 17 years. I recognize those problem FIFA now

faces. I repeatedly urged President Blatter to undertake reform. But in a close organization, dominated by one person for 40 years, it is very

difficult.

Cronyism has been too much rampant. This time, not only President Blatter but also those people who agree to everything while they were Blatter

proposed, they also should leave.

And those people who joined FIFA due to Blatter's support, they also should leave.

We need a comprehensive leadership change at FIFA.

AMANPOUR: What you think somebody like Jack Warner will reveal?

(LAUGHTER)

CHUNG: Well, Jack Warner is vice president. I'm talking about President Blatter. I looked this story four years ago in my -- in my book. And this

story is all -- this story was already reported by the post-verdict (ph) in New York.

The judge at the time said four years ago this was bizarre, massive kind of case. President Blatter tried to help Visa to replace MasterCard and

during the process, they committed many wrongdoings and illegal crimes.

In the final verdict, the judge said FIFA lied. She made a statement certain times.

She also said FIFA is not qualified to use the slogan, "fair play." FIFA's reputation went to the (INAUDIBLE).

AMANPOUR: Do you think this investigation is going to target Sepp Blatter?

Do you think he is going to be charged with crimes? So far he has not been.

CHUNG: Common sense tells us power and responsibility goes together. And President Blatter has been the most powerful man in FIFA and there can be a

very high possibility that he was involved in all these shameful stories.

AMANPOUR: Now what about the fact that he's still there?

What does that say about FIFA?

And again, you are still an honorary member of the executive committee.

Is FIFA really serious about reforming?

He's still there. He's probably going to be there for many, many more months.

CHUNG: His resignation statement was very disappointing. It does not make any sense. President Blatter is the target of reform and the target of

reform cannot and should not lead the reform. He should resign from office immediately. He should not involve himself in any ordinary business of

FIFA.

AMANPOUR: Will you stand for election as FIFA president when it comes up again?

CHUNG: Reforming FIFA is a huge task and it may -- it may require collective efforts. I am going to talk with the football leaders, to

leaders before I make final decision.

AMANPOUR: Mr. MJ Chung, thank you so much for joining us from Seoul.

CHUNG: Thank you, Christiane.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AMANPOUR: And so we will be striking a different tune after a break.

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AMANPOUR (voice-over): Imagine a world where one of the hottest jazz tickets in New York is for an 11-year-old Indonesian boy, the child

prodigy, Joey Alexander, plays for us -- next.

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AMANPOUR: And finally tonight, imagine a pint-sized pianist from Indonesian, tickling the keyboards and stunning the world of jazz.

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AMANPOUR (voice-over): This is 11-year-old Joey Alexander, his enormous talent has already transported all the way from home in Bali to New York's

world-famous Lincoln Center.

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AMANPOUR: His album, "My Favorite Things," has reached Number 1 on iTunes jazz chart. He was discovered and mentored by the greats Herbie Hancock

and Wynton Marsalis and he even played for us this week at the jazz standard here in the city.

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AMANPOUR: How did you come to jazz?

I mean, look, you come from Indonesia. And Indonesia's not the home of jazz.

JOEY ALEXANDER, PIANIST: Yes.

AMANPOUR: So how did you come to jazz?

ALEXANDER: First it came from my parents, especially my dad.

AMANPOUR: Did you listen to your father's music?

ALEXANDER: Yes. He once listened -- he have me listen to jazz.

AMANPOUR: All the time?

ALEXANDER: Yes.

AMANPOUR: And what was his favorites?

ALEXANDER: He listened to me, like Louis Armstrong.

AMANPOUR: Louis Armstrong.

ALEXANDER: And to this musician, like Harry Connick Jr. and Thelonious Monk.

AMANPOUR: Thelonious Monk, is he a big favorite?

ALEXANDER: Yes. He's also my favorite.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He didn't have formal lessons. His father's an amateur musician who basically showed him the outline of how to play on a keyboard.

But soon, you know, the student overtook the masters. It's a little -- set aside, Dad. I'm going to play some Monk.

AMANPOUR: How do you protect a child? Because he's a child with a massive talent. How do you protect him from the pressure, from burnout?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. The thing that struck me about Joey was that this wasn't something that was coming from his parents. It -- if anything,

it's Joey wanting to be a kid. It's Joey wanting to play with other people. It's Joey just wanting to play. And some kids play Legos and some

kids play in a sandbox and Joey plays the piano.

AMANPOUR: When you performed for the first time in public at Lincoln Jazz and you got a standing ovation, what did that feel like?

ALEXANDER: I thankful that people clapping for me and give me standing ovation but I mean, I think it makes me, you know, have to practice more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His learning curve is so steep, he's only 11. We don't know where he's going to go. I don't think he knows where he's going to

go. That's part of the beauty of this journey, is we're experiencing it right at the very beginning of his trip.

AMANPOUR: And we're happy to be here at the beginning. We're going to watch it along with you and the rest of the world.

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AMANPOUR: And something tells me we're going to be hearing from Joey for a long, long time.

That is it for our program tonight. Remember you can always see the whole show online at amanpour.com, and follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Just before we sign off tonight from New York, we want to leave you with these stunning images of a fashion exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of

Art here. It's called "China through the Looking Glass."

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