CHINESE LEADER'S VISIT TO U.S. MAY INCLUDE CROSS-COUNTRY TRIP.(MAIN)

Byline: STEWART M. POWELL Times Union Washington bureau

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton may escort visiting Chinese President Jiang Zemin on a cross-country tour of the United States during the Chinese leader's upcoming visit to the United States -- the first such top-level foray since Beijing's crackdown in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Clinton administration officials are weighing whether to expand the itinerary of Jiang's state visit in October to include American cities, historic sights and factories outside the nation's capital.

The models for such a venture would be two previous visits by Chinese leaders. One was the 10-day transcontinental …