[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 22 (Friday, February 3, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S2081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         IMPORTANCE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TO AMERICA'S TRADE

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, tomorrow is a critical date in United 
States trade relations with the People's Republic of China [PRC]. The 
United States Trade Representative has found that the PRC is seriously 
deficient in its protection of intellectual property rights. Talks have 
broken off, and unless the Chinese change their laws and improve their 
enforcement at this eleventh hour, the United States will impose steep 
tariffs on a number of products imported from the PRC, starting 
tomorrow.
  I am disappointed that the situation has deteriorated to this point. 
More than 1 year ago I invited the Chinese Ambassador, United States 
executives and other Members of the Washington congressional delegation 
to my office to discuss this issue. I spoke with President Clinton and 
U.S. Trade Ambassador Michael Kantor as well. I encouraged all sides to 
get together and work toward a solution to the problem.
  As a proponent of free trade, I am hopeful talks will be resumed and 
the Chinese Government will take serious steps to protect intellectual 
property rights. Hard-working people in the State of Washington are 
losing too much money to international pirates. This must end, and our 
relationship with this important trading partner must resume as quickly 
as possible.
  It is up to the Clinton administration, and, more importantly, to the 
Chinese, to show some leadership. If China wants to be a global 
economic player, they have to play by the global economic rules. And 
those rules don't allow piracy.
  Mr. President, as you know, I come from a State which is, per capita, 
the largest exporting State in the country. Washington State is home to 
America's single largest exporting company--the Boeing Co. We send the 
literal fruits of our labors--our apples and wheat--to every corner of 
the globe.
  And, we are the site of some of America's most forward-looking, 
cutting-edge industries. We have big companies like the Microsoft Corp 
and Nintendo of America as well as small concerns all along the I-5 
corridor which specialize in a dazzling array of high technology and 
biotech products.
  These companies produce goods rich in intellectual property, the 
cornerstone of American innovation. Protecting these inventions through 
intellectual property rights is vital. Enforcing copyrights, patents 
and trademarks means that when you build a better mousetrap, you can 
reap the rewards of innovation. That's why we need and have strict laws 
in this country which protect inventions and punish thievery.
  I am pleased that intellectual property has been included as a new 
discipline in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade [GATT]. 
Accordingly, it is important that all our trading partners uphold and 
enforce the strongest intellectual property laws possible, especially 
those countries that wish to join the GATT.
  That is why the looming deadline is so disheartening. I sincerely 
hope China will address this situation, and prove they deserve a place 
in the global economic community.


                          ____________________