[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 22, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 22, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
         SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER'S VISIT TO CHINA

  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, the recent trip by Secretary of State Warren 
Christopher to the People's Republic of China [PRC], despite criticisms 
to the contrary, was a necessary one for it underscored to a Chinese 
audience too used to the accolades of businessmen the importance of 
human rights to American foreign policy. His visit also accomplished 
more than is given public credit. Secretary Christopher followed the 
correct course in going to China and engaging with the Chinese. I 
applaud him.
  Thus, for the last few months journalists and interested parties in 
the international business community have been portraying the country 
as divided on the issue of human rights and most-favored-nation status. 
The Chinese have, of course, been trying to encourage the perception of 
such divisions. The Chinese should harbor no doubt, however, of the 
President's determination to see significant progress achieved.
  As the Secretary noted in a press conference after his discussions 
with the Chinese leadership, he found that differences between China 
and the United States are narrowing and that it is clear that the 
Chinese are open to discussion and dialog.
  The Secretary made progress on several major issues:
  First, the United States and China signed a joint declaration fully 
implementing the prison labor agreement. Chinese prison labor 
facilities will be inspected. This is one of the two mandatory issues 
that the President set out in his Executive order last year concerning 
renewal of China's most-favored-nation trading status. It is 
significant.
  Second, the Chinese made a commitment to work with the United States 
to resolve the outstanding emigration cases that remain--another key 
aspect of the President's Executive order.
  Third, the Chinese confirmed their support for the Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights. In so doing, the Chinese have acknowledged 
the legitimacy of our discussions with them on their compliance with 
its provisions.
  Fourth, the Chinese said they would permit International Committee of 
the Red Cross delegates to visit prisons and individual prisoners. This 
has been an important concern among human rights advocates. 
Establishing ICRC access to Chinese prisons acknowledges again that 
concern about China's treatment of prisoners is of international 
interest--not just an American issue. In a related matter, the 
Secretary received a detailed accounting of a list of 235 prisoners and 
he was told that an additional accounting of 106 Tibetan prisoners 
would be provided. As the Secretary noted, this is a step, but not a 
conclusive step in the right direction.
  Finally, the Chinese indicated that they would review information 
about their jamming of Voice of America broadcasts. What does this 
mean? I believe that it is a clear signal that the Chinese will stop 
interfering with VOA transmissions. Shortly the Congress will have 
before it the conference report for the State Department authorization 
bill which contains authority for establishing a Radio Free Asia. 
Unjamming VOA is a first step in making certain Radio Free Asia is also 
heard.
  The Secretary was also able to raise at the highest levels our 
concern over continued efforts by the Chinese to proliferate weapons of 
mass destruction in violation of their international commitments and of 
our interest in the Chinese having a serious discussion with the Dalai 
Lama about cultural and religious matters in Tibet.
  Was the Secretary's visit a breakthrough?
  No; it was not. And no one could expect that given the difficult 
nature of the issues that divide China and the United States. As an 
experienced and skilled negotiator, the Secretary understood this 
challenge before embarking on his mission. He wanted to deepen a dialog 
with China's leaders. The success of his trip should not be judged 
solely in terms of what agreements were achieved, but also on how 
clearly the Chinese heard the determination in his voice. Given the 
strong reaction by the Chinese Foreign Minister who criticized the 
Secretary after his visit for not showing enough sincerity, it is clear 
that the Chinese heard Secretary Christopher.
  I know. I visited China and Tibet in late 1992. As with many recent 
visitors, I was impressed by the economic transformation of China. The 
hustle and bustle of open markets is apparent everywhere. It is a sound 
that none of us want to dim. Not extending most-favored nation status 
would certainly mute those noises.
  Unfortunately, discordant sounds now seem to dominate our bilateral 
relations following the Secretary's visit. That was not his intent, nor 
was it the appropriate action by the Chinese. Secretary Christopher is 
a wise and composed, but persistent, diplomat whose objective is not to 
isolate China but to integrate it more completely into the community of 
nations. That is a goal all of us share.
  Over the coming months, I believe that wise policymakers on both 
sides will defuse the current sense of confrontation and replace it 
with a recognition that more can be achieved through calm and rational 
dialog than through threats and confrontation.

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