[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 63 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

  Mr. DeCONCINI. Almost 5 years ago, the world watched in horror as 
thousands of peaceful democracy activities were massacred in Tiananmen 
Square. Not only has the Chinese Government attempted to erase the 
memories of that tragic event, but in succeeding years has continued to 
imprison and torture peaceful political dissidents, to restrict freedom 
of expression and to suppress religious practices. Those are severe 
charges, but they are accurate.
  One year after an Executive order was signed which stated that MFN 
would not be renewed unless China showed significant overall progress 
in human rights, President Clinton faces an important choice. The 
President has the opportunity to decide whether we stand for a 
government which uses torture and terror to maintain its hold on power 
or whether we stand with the forces that are trying to peaceful express 
their ideas and move to a more democratic form of government. I believe 
the choice is clear. We must send a signal to the Chinese Government 
that the treatment of their citizens will be judged according to 
internationally recognized standards.
  That is the same signal we sent for about 50 years to the former 
Soviet Union. They finally got the message; they finally bent, they 
finally changed.
  The previous administration's decisions to renew MFN and to pursue a 
policy of constructive engagement with the Chinese Government was 
greeted with a continuation of flagrant disregard for human rights, 
human dignity and due process. Similarly, last year's extension has 
been following with what many consider to be a deterioration of respect 
for human rights in China. The disregard for basic rights by Chinese 
officials was underscored by events which took place during the recent 
visits to China by Assistant Secretary of State Shattuck and Secretary 
Christopher.
  One of China's most prominent dissidents, Wei Jingsheng was 
rearrested on April 1 of this year--his apparent crime was meeting with 
Mr. Shattuck and allegedly urging him to tell President Clinton to 
continue pressing China on human rights issues. According to the 
Washington Post, China is prepared to charge Wei with treason.
  During the March 14 press conference that Secretary Christopher held 
in Beijing he said, ``I came to China to try to ensure that the Chinese 
side understands the importance of human rights to the United States in 
connection with Most Favored Nation treatment.'' Well Mr. President, 
the Chinese officials showed us what they think of human rights by 
rounding up citizens before, during and after the Secretary's visit 
whose crime was expression of prodemocracy views.
  MFN is a privilege, and it is one the Chinese Government has not 
earned. If this trade status is extended, we will be rewarding the 
Chinese Government for repressing nonviolent expression. Furthermore, 
we will be saying that China has lived up to the conditions placed in 
last year's Executive order and is on its way to democratic reform, 
something which clearly has not occurred.
  I would like to discuss a couple of the arguments that have been used 
in this debate. Many in this country are convinced that if China is 
denied MFN it will be of grave economic consequence to our country. But 
Mr. President, the truth is that access to the United States market is 
far more important to the Chinese, than the reverse. Our $23 billion 
trade deficit with China is strong evidence of the importance of our 
market to that country. That figure is expected to reach $30 billion 
this year. The credible threat of denying the Chinese billions of 
dollars is leverage we can and should use to force change in China.
  Another argument used by those who support MFN extension is that its 
revocation will hurt those that it is designed to help. This is the 
same argument used by many who voted against sanctions against the past 
South African Government. Sanctions against South Africa accomplished 
what I believe the link between human rights and MFN will for China--
they proved effective in convincing that country's leaders that a 
government which imprisoned peacemakers, banned journalists, and denied 
basic human rights would not benefit from the economic might of the 
United States. Just as sanctions accelerated the demise of apartheid in 
South Africa so can they accelerate the respect for human rights and 
democracy in China.
  Mr. President, there are many areas of human rights violations in 
China which are appalling. I would like to briefly touch on one which 
is particularly disturbing--the situation in Tibet. As reported in 
today's Washington Post, a congressional staff delegation which 
traveled to Tibet in April reported that ``China's policies in Tibet 
pose a grave threat to the survival of the Tibetan religion and 
culture.'' Since 1949, it is reported that the Chinese have destroyed 
6,000 Tibetan monasteries. The number of political prisoners in Tibet 
has increased 30 percent from 1992, repression against Tibetan Buddhist 
nuns has sharply increased over this period and demolition of 
traditional Tibetan homes and buildings has increased dramatically.
  Another prominent Chinese dissident, now an astrophysicist at the 
University of Arizona, has spoken most clearly of the real question the 
United States currently faces with MFN renewal. If we do not have the 
will to stand up for human rights, as we profess, then China will feel 
free to flout the international community of civilized nations not only 
with respect to human rights but perhaps also other areas such as the 
development and sale of its military might. We risk the danger of 
contributing to a chain of events which will pose a threat to the 
stability of all of East Asia.
  I look forward to the day when MFN and human rights in China are not 
linked. But that will be the day when China becomes a respected member 
of the international community of civilized nations. The ball is in the 
Chinese court. All we are asking is that they respect internationally 
accepted norms of human rights. It is up to Beijing to meet these basic 
conditions.
  We have a deficit of $23 billion now with the People's Republic of 
China. It is going to be $30 billion in another year or two. They need 
us. It is time for us to stand on what America is all about and what we 
did to bring down the Berlin Wall and the change in the Soviet Union, 
and that is to hang tough on human rights, which is something that all 
Americans can be proud of.

                          ____________________