[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 16, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       CHINA HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, after Secretary of State Christopher's 
visit to China, it is appropriate to review our relations with China. 
The President's Executive order on most favored nation tariff status 
for China expires in just over 2 months. Today I will discuss the 
situation we face today, the further actions we hope to see from China, 
and our options for next year if we are able to renew MFN.


                  status of executive order conditions

  The Executive order has seven conditions. On the first two, 
emigration rights and prison labor, China must comply fully. On the 
other five--the Universal Declaration on Human Rights; political 
prisoners; Red Cross access to prisons; protecting the religious and 
cultural heritage of Tibet; and radio jamming--China must make overall, 
significant progress.
  On the first of the full compliance conditions, China allows 
substantially free emigration. On prison labor, Treasury Secretary 
Bentsen signed a new agreement in Beijing in February. Any MFN action 
on this issue will have to be based on failure to comply with the more 
recent agreement, and it is too early to tell.
  On the overall, significant progress conditions, the record is mixed. 
China has done little on the civil and political sections of the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But the declaration also 
includes rights to a basic standard of living, to seek employment, and 
to travel within one's country, on which there has been great progress. 
The Chinese press has become much freer to report on social problems 
like crime, industrial accidents, hijacking, and corruption.
  China has also released some prominent political prisoners and given 
us our requested accounting of 235 priority cases. China has held talks 
with the Red Cross and has made some progress.
  On Tibet, China is restoring some historic Tibetan temples and 
monuments, and permitting some monasteries to reopen. Based on the 
wording of the order, and without minimizing in any way the grave human 
rights abuses in Tibet, I would say China is meeting this condition. 
Finally, I see little progress on radio jamming.


                   further action required from china

  As the Secretary of State said in Beijing, and Ambassador Kantor 
repeated yesterday, our differences have narrowed. We may not be there 
yet. But China has room to act, within the framework of its own laws 
and existing international obligations, on our concerns.
  In the next 2 months, I hope to see China take some of the following 
steps:
  Grant medical parole for political prisoners with serious health 
problems;
  Clear up all problem cases of emigration, and allow Chinese exiles 
like union organizer Han Dongfang to go home;
  Make progress toward agreement with the International Red Cross to 
give the IRC access to Chinese prisons;
  Fully enforce our agreement prohibiting export of goods produced with 
slave labor; and
  End the jamming of foreign radio broadcasts.


                      consequences of revoking mfn

  If China does nothing, it will be hard to avoid revoking MFN. If that 
happens, everyone will suffer. Among the consequences we would see 
would be:
  The loss of 200,000 jobs in the U.S. as China retaliates against our 
exports, and worse losses in the years ahead.
  The loss of 75,000 jobs in Hong Kong and millions of jobs in China, 
the vast majority of them wholly innocent workers.
  The permanent discrediting of pro-American factions in China, as the 
succession to Deng Xiaoping begins.
  China actively opposing our foreign policy efforts not only in North 
Korea, but in the Middle East, Iraq and elsewhere.
  China's trade relationship with Taiwan crippled, and our guarantee 
against a political crisis in the region gravely weakened. No doubt 
other problems would arise as well.


                     policy for 1995 and afterward

  None of this is inevitable. If China takes the actions I cited 
earlier, we should be able to renew MFN status.
  But if we are able to do that, we should think hard about our goals 
in human rights and the means we use to achieve them.
  The MFN conditions may not have been fruitless. But they have not won 
the basic improvement in human rights we all hope to see in China. They 
have proven no more effective, and far more dangerous, than the other 
means at our disposal. Thus, if we can renew MFN status in June, we 
should not impose conditions again. Instead, we should find other ways 
to promote human rights. The following are some options, and I am sure 
we have more.
  First, diplomacy. We should continue the exchanges begun by Assistant 
Secretary of State Shattuck. We should press for attention to human 
rights in China at the United Nations; seek more support from Europe 
and Asia; condition high-level diplomatic exchanges on human rights; 
and meet with officials of Taiwan, Tibetan leaders in exile and Chinese 
dissidents.
  Second, a permanent mechanism like a Bilateral Human Rights 
Commission to discuss human rights issues and cases.
  Third, conditioning support for multilateral loans to China on human 
rights.
  Fourth, tougher enforcement of our agreement on prison labor 
products. We should impose trade sanctions on goods suspected of 
forced-labor origin if China will not comply.
  Fifth, making the private sector a more active force for change. U.S. 
business can take voluntary measures to promote human rights, and save 
lives by promoting workplace safety and pollution prevention, in the 
regions where they operate.
  Finally, finding less confrontational methods. We need not limit 
ourselves to threats and pressure. Other approaches can get results 
too. They can include legal exchanges to promote rule of law; health 
and safety programs for industrial workplaces, mines and farms; 
expansion of the Peace Corps; religious, cultural and educational 
exchanges, and so on.


                               conclusion

  Mr. President, our experience this year shows that MFN conditions are 
not an effective long-term policy. We are committed this spring, and 
before the Executive order expires, we must push hard for more from 
China. But if we can renew MFN this spring, we should learn our lesson 
and find a new approach.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BRADLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Dorgan). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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