[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 65 (Monday, May 23, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            SENATOR JEPSEN'S CASE FOR RENEWING MFN FOR CHINA

                                 ______


                          HON. JAMES A. LEACH

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 23, 1994

  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, one of the profoundest issues of the year is 
whether the United States is going to maintain our open door, free-
trade policy with China, or whether the linkage of precise human rights 
goals to trade will precipitate a rupture in the United States-China 
relationship. In this regard, I commend to my colleagues the following 
thoughtful assessment of our former colleague, Senator Roger Jepsen of 
Iowa, who has recently returned from a 17-day fact-finding trip to 
China.
  Senator Jepsen's assessment follows:

       Since 1979 China has been granted the international trade 
     status of Most Favored Nation (MFN) by the United States. 
     Early in 1994 proponents of MFN and human rights advocates 
     opposing the renewal of MFN increased their activities in 
     what has been since 1989 an annual battle over MFN-China. In 
     the past four months much has been written; public hearings 
     in and out of Congress have been held; delegations from 
     China, spreading good will and sizable purchase of U.S. 
     products, have appeared in the halls of Congress; U.S. State 
     Department personnel have darted in and out of China 
     gathering information for the ``report'' to the President. 
     High stakes--human and economic--exist as President Clinton 
     moves toward his June 3rd decision whether to renew MFN-
     China.
       During my recent 17 day fact-finding trip to China, I 
     observed a number of things that were surprising to me. I saw 
     people riding to work on their bicycles while talking on 
     mobile pocket telephones--much like we see in the United 
     States. On two successive Sundays I attended church services 
     unannounced and found over two thousand people at each 
     service, worshipping, openly reading Bibles and participating 
     in Bible study classes taught via video on television screens 
     after the services. Whether traveling by train or airplane 
     between cities within China, it was always the same. Large 
     numbers of people were moving about from one city to another. 
     They were standing in line for tickets and all seats were 
     filled. Small business entrepreneurs by the thousands lined 
     the streets as they sold their wares and cooked their version 
     of fast food. It was one continual, buzzing marketplace. Why 
     should all this be surprising? Because not too many years ago 
     none of this could have been possible. Mobility was 
     restricted and controlled, and many items of food and 
     merchandise did not exist, or were available only by coupon 
     in the location of one's residence. These everyday examples 
     of improving human rights did not exist prior to 1979.
       I also observed first-hand a vibrant, exploding economy . . 
     . special high tech parks, huge industrial development sites 
     staffed by informed specialists wanting to ``do business,'' 
     international trade, telecommunications, infrastructure 
     development (building cranes in major cities as thick as the 
     quills on a porcupine's back), merchant banking, stock 
     exchanges, new industry, etc.. The People's Republic of 
     China, in its on-going transformation into a ``socialist 
     market-based economy,'' is becoming increasingly integrated 
     into the regional and world economy-taking her place in the 
     international community. Supported by many Asian and European 
     countries, China is working hard to attract the ``2004'' 
     Olympics, as well as negotiating to rejoin GATT. Many 
     progressive things are happening to China today; anyone who 
     says otherwise needs a ``reality check.''
       Deng Xiaoping said, ``It makes no difference if it is a 
     white cat or a black cat--if it catches mice, it is a good 
     cat.'' However one may choose to measure success, the ``free 
     market economy'' move in China is making progresses. Economic 
     success fires the engine of reform that inevitably leads to 
     greater political liberalization and improved human rights. 
     To cut MFN off now, or even cut it off partially, as some are 
     advocating, is to blunt the very instrument currently 
     promoting social pluralization. To inhibit MFN with any 
     conditions is to endanger the progress that has been made for 
     human rights in recent years.
       Relinquishing MFN as a tool for human rights does not mean 
     that the United States is abandoning its long tradition of 
     championing human rights, or that we should now remain 
     silent. Human rights abuses are worldwide; occurring in 
     Europe, Africa, South America, the Middle East, Asia, etc.. 
     Instead of singling out China, we should address this serious 
     problem in the many international forums available to us; 
     including the United Nations Security Council, the UN Human 
     Rights Commission, the World Bank, the GATT. The West has won 
     the Cold War, but that is not enough. The United States 
     should exert human rights leadership in international 
     organizations--while renewing MFN for China without 
     conditions!

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