[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 13 (Wednesday, February 5, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1039-S1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIP REPORT--THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, HONG KONG, TAIWAN, AND 
                                 NEPAL

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, from November 11 through 
November 26, 1996, I traveled to the People's Republic of China, 
Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Nepal for discussions with senior leaders in 
each of these places. I have today transmitted my report on this trip 
to the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign 
Relations. I hope my colleagues find it of interest.
  I ask that the report be printed in the Record.
  The report follows:

                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                 Washington, DC, February 5, 1997.
     Hon. Jesse Helms,
     Chairman.
     Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
     Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. 
         Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Helms and Senator Biden:
       Attached please find a report on my travel to China, Hong 
     Kong, Taiwan, and Nepal from November 11 through 26, 1996. 
     During the China portion of the trip and parts of the Hong 
     Kong and Taiwan portions, I joined Senators Daschle, Dorgan, 
     Glenn, Kempthorne, and Leahy. Travel costs were at my 
     personal expense.
       In China, I discussed with the Chinese leadership the need 
     to develop a long-term strategic framework for our 
     relationship based on our many mutual interests, tensions in 
     the triangular U.S.-China-Taiwan relationship, a variety of 
     U.S.-China trade issues, nonproliferation and other security 
     concerns, and human rights and legal development in China.
       In Hong Kong, the itinerary included meetings with British, 
     Chinese, and Hong Kong officials and members of the business 
     community to assess the prospects for Hong Kong's reversion 
     to Chinese rule in July 1997.
       In meetings with the Taiwanese leadership in Taipei, I 
     discussed Taiwan's role in the U.S.-China relationship and 
     how to get dialogue across the Taiwan Strait back on track.
       In Nepal, I examined the progress made by this fledgling 
     democracy in consolidating its democratic institutions, and 
     looked at ways the United States can be most effective in 
     helping promote Nepal's economic development. I met with His 
     Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah, Prime Minister Sher 
     Bahadur Deuba, and Foreign Minister Prakash Chandra Lohani, 
     as well as members of the various parties in the parliament.
       I am grateful to Ambassador James Sasser and his staff in 
     Beijing, Consul General Richard Boucher and his staff in Hong 
     Kong, American Institute in Taiwan Director Darryl Johnson 
     and his staff in Taipei, and Ambassador Sandy Vogelgesang and 
     her staff in Kathmandu. Their cooperation and assistance 
     helped make this trip as productive as it was. I would 
     particularly like to thank Foreign Service Officers Darcy 
     Zotter, Robert Forden, Michael Meserve, Gina Sullivan, Paul 
     Daley, and Peter Bodde, and AIT staffer Andrew Wilson, for 
     their assistance. I am also grateful to the staff of the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations for their help.

[[Page S1040]]

       I hope you find this report useful.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Dianne Feinstein,
     United States Senator.

                          ____________________