[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 110 (Wednesday, August 10, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    UNITED STATES-CHINA ACT OF 1994

                                 ______


                               speech of

                         HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 9, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4590) to 
     provide conditions for renewing non-discriminatory--most-
     favored-nation--treatment for the People's Republic of China:

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Chairman, I support the Pelosi amendment to 
restore the original language of H.R. 4590.
  I understand the concerns which have been raised by those seeking to 
confirm China's MFN status without reservation. I agree that 
international trade can in some instances be a powerful moderating 
force in the behavior of governments. I too would like to see United 
States-China trade grow and flourish. It is important, however, that we 
avoid the trap of allowing trade considerations to override the 
question of human rights. To do so in the case of China would signal 
that we are turning our backs on more than a billion human beings 
subject to a regime employing tyranny in the service of economic 
development. For the United States tacitly to encourage that policy by 
ignoring it only compounds the tragedy.
  Some proponents of unrestricted MFN status for China argue that it 
would be counterproductive or ineffective to express our human rights 
concerns with this vehicle. That argument is contradicted by the actual 
experience of other countries where we have linked trade and human 
rights. Many of the reluctantly granted freedoms in the former Soviet 
Union, such as free emigration, were won only because the United States 
made trade preferences conditional on reforms. The Soviets yielded 
because they were desperate for hard currency. The Chinese Government 
is in similar need, and Beijing's public statements to the contrary 
notwithstanding, putting human rights on the MFN agenda will inevitably 
generate pressure to change policy.
  I was an advocate for normalizing United States-China relations long 
before it became fashionable and I remain a friend of China. It is my 
high regard for the people of China and Tibet and my profound respect 
for the greatness of the civilized traditions to which they are heir 
that moves me to take this position affirming the aspirations of the 
partisans of democracy and self determination. I believe those 
aspirations express the will of the people of China and Tibet, 
including even a large number of Communist Party members. The example 
provided by his holiness the Dalai Lama and by the Chinese democracy 
movement embodies the humane spirit which distinguishes civilization 
from barbarism. As such, it exemplifies a tradition which exalts the 
power of thought and spirit over force of arms--a tradition which has 
prevailed against all odds for thousands of years and which I believe 
will prevail yet again.
  


                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, August 11, 1994, may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                               AUGUST 12
     8:30 a.m.
       Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
       Agricultural Research, Conservation, Forestry and General 
           Legislation Subcommittee
         To hold hearings on the Administration's proposed 
           legislation on meat and poultry inspection.
                                                            SR-385
     10:00 a.m.
       Environment and Public Works
         Business meeting, to consider pending calendar business.
                                                            SD-406
       Judiciary
       Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks Subcommittee
         To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on the 
           Judiciary's Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and 
           Judicial Administration on the implementation of the 
           intellectual property provisions of the General 
           Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
                                             2237 Rayburn Building
     11:00 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
       Terrorism, Narcotics and International Operations 
           Subcommittee
         To hold a closed briefing on the Moscow Embassy.
                                                    S-407, Capitol

                             CANCELLATIONS

                               AUGUST 11
     8:30 a.m.
       Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
       Agricultural Research, Conservation, Forestry and General 
           Legislation Subcommittee
         To hold hearings on the Administration's proposed 
           legislation on meat and poultry inspection.
                                                            SR-332

                             POSTPONEMENTS

                               AUGUST 12
     2:00 p.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         Business meeting, to consider the nomination of Linda 
           Marie Hooks, of Georgia, to be an Assistant Secretary 
           of Veterans Affairs (Acquisition and Facilities), and 
           to mark up pending legislation.
                                                            SR-418