[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 92 (Thursday, June 20, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1128-E1129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MFN STATUS FOR CHINA

                                 ______


                         HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 1996

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak out against 
granting China the most-favored-nation [MFN] status. For many years I 
have followed the human rights and business violations occurring in 
China. This past year we have once again seen many problems arise with 
China.
  As my colleagues know, last month the United States customs agents 
arrested suspects in the United States with ties to China's state-owned 
munitions companies for smuggling AK-47's and other dangerous weapons 
into the United States. These same companies are selling nuclear 
weapons technology

[[Page E1129]]

to Pakistan and advanced missile technology to Iran.
  Many people claim that if we don't grant MFN status to China that 
American business will be hurt. That's not true. American businesses 
are hurt by the Chinese Government allowing piracy of copyrighted 
American goods. These pirated copies are made in factories with the 
full knowledge of the Chinese Government. Everyone here is aware that a 
trade war was barely averted yesterday because the United States and 
China came to an agreement that is designed to crack down on Chinese 
piracy of compact discs and computer software.
  Unfortunately, I don't think the Chinese understand that we are 
serious about protecting our copyrighted goods. Once again, the Chinese 
have only been slapped on the wrist for not abiding by agreements made. 
In the past, MFN status has been granted in hopes that the Chinese 
Government was going to crack down on the piracy problems and human 
rights violations. This has not happened yet.
  Granting MFN to China does not encourage the Chinese Government to 
correct their human rights violations. Despite China's robust economy 
and economic reforms, there continues to be widespread human rights 
abuses. China still places severe restrictions on freedom of speech, 
the press, assembly, association, religion, privacy, movement and 
worker rights. In Sunday's Post, it was noted that China's priority for 
the next 15 years would be to discredit Tibet's exiled religious 
leader, his Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
  I ask my colleagues to ask themselves--Why would we want to grant MFN 
status to a country that continues to ignores human rights violations, 
continues to replicate American copyrighted goods, smuggles guns into 
our country, and has given nuclear technology to rogue nations? I 
strongly urge my colleagues to vote against MFN for China.

                          ____________________