BEIJING - Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright deplored Beijing's recent crackdown on democracy advocates in a meeting yesterday with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, but she said later that it would not affect China's attempts to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"I think we have all made clear, and I will again, that we have a multifaceted relationship with China," Albright said in a joint news conference.

"And we determined some time ago that it was not a good idea to link human rights and trade, and we actually make better progress in both when they are not linked."

The United States is pushing China to reduce tariffs and open up more of its market to gain entry into the WTO, which sets global trading rules.

During the news conference, Tang complained about what he called the politicization of human rights and said that any attempt to confront China on the issue was pointless.

"We are also firmly opposed to the practice of wantonly interfering in other countries' internal affairs by taking advantage of human rights questions as an excuse," Tang said.

The exchange at Beijing's Diaoyutai Guest House underscored a fundamental shift in Sino-U.S. relations in recent years.

Once a driving force in America's China policy, human rights is now one among many issues and no longer a deal-breaker.

Albright's visit to China comes at a time of considerable strain in relations after a pair of successful summits between President Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Ties frayed in December after the jailing of organizers of the opposition political party to terms of 11 to 13 years.

Chinese authorities spent last week rounding up other party leaders and sentencing without trial the host of a democracy discussion group to 11/2 years in a labor camp.

On Thursday, the Senate voted 99-0 to urge Clinton to sponsor a resolution condemning China's human rights record at next month's United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting.

Last week, the administration decided to scrap plans to sell $450 million worth of satellite equipment to China, citing concerns that the technology could be used for military purposes.

Albright came to Beijing to prepare for Premier Zhu Rongji's visit in April.

Discussions covered a wide range of topics, from the U.S. proposal for an anti-missile defense system that could include Taiwan to the situation in Kosovo.

In a news conference this morning, Albright suggested that China's help in reducing the threat of

missiles in North Korea might influence later decisions by the U.S. on deploying an umbrella missile defense system for Japan and Taiwan.

"Instead of worrying about a decision that has not been made to deploy defensive technologies that do not yet exist, China should focus its energies on the real source of the problem: the proliferation of missiles," Albright said.

The United States has talked of establishing a missile shield for Japan and Taiwan to defend against missiles in North Korea, an aggressive and unpredictable Stalinist state continually on the brink of economic collapse.

The Chinese, who also have missiles aimed at Taiwan, have vehemently objected to the proposal because they view the island as a rebel province. Beijing sees any military relationship between Taiwan and the United States as a potential infringement on China's sovereignty.

To ensure a successful U.S. trip for Zhu and assuage China's critics, Albright urged the Chinese to improve their human rights record by releasing dissidents and halting the crackdown.

"This trip has to be about more than just economics," said a senior Clinton administration official, referring to the attempt to work out a deal for China's entry into the WTO before Zhu arrives.

However, the Chinese seem unlikely to pay a heavy price if they ignore the advice. The most concrete punishment Beijing suffers for its human rights record is being denied "fully normal" relations with the United States.

The United States continues to impose some sanctions put in place after the massacre of democracy demonstrators near Tiananmen Square in 1989. The measures prevent China from obtaining certain export licenses and development bank loans. The total cost of the programs, however, is $20 million to $30 million a year.

Talks will now shift from such topics as human rights and Taiwan, which China views as a rebel province, to trade. U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky arrives today in hopes of winning concessions on tariffs and market access, which could pave the way to WTO membership.