[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 59 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4209-S4210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       SUMMARY OF A REPORT OF THE SENATE DELEGATION VISIT TO ASIA

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to insert in 
today's Record a summary of a longer report on a November 1996 trip 
taken by a congressional delegation consisting of Senators Glenn, 
Leahy, Dorgan, Kempthorne, and myself. The delegation traveled to 
Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, meeting with senior government 
officials in each location. The summary discusses the highlights of the 
trip. The full report is also available. As the trip report summary 
highlights, members of the delegation raised important U.S. national 
priorities in each country and gained valuable insight into the 
leaders' views.
  There being no objection, the summary was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

[[Page S4210]]

   Report of the Senate Delegation Visit to Asia, November 8-17, 1996


                          Summary and Findings

       A delegation from the United States Senate, consisting of 
     Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), Senator John Glenn (D-
     OH), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Byron Dorgan (D-
     ND) and Senator Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID), met with leading 
     officials in Vietnam, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan during a 
     trip to that region from November 8-17, 1996. The 
     delegation's mission was to explore firsthand U.S. policy 
     issues in this part of the world where the United States has 
     important national security, humanitarian and economic 
     interests.
       In each country, the delegation discussed various aspects 
     of U.S. policy with high level government officials. In 
     meetings in Vietnam, they raised a variety of important U.S. 
     policy interests, beginning with the high priority the United 
     States places on resolving remaining cases of U.S. service 
     members reported missing in action (MIA). They also discussed 
     the need for a comprehensive trade agreement and the issues 
     that must be addressed before one can be completed. They 
     raised a number of other issues, including urging greater 
     cooperation on Agent Orange research issues; pressing the 
     need or improvements in Vietnam's human rights practices; 
     requesting that the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi be relocated to a 
     more central location in the city closer to most of the 
     organizations with which it works; and encouraging the 
     Vietnamese to resolve remaining immigration issues and remove 
     existing obstacles to trade.
       In these meetings, the Vietnamese expressed a willingness 
     to work with the U.S. to resolve problems in U.S.-Vietnamese 
     bilateral relations. They clearly understood the importance 
     of the MIA issue and pledged cooperation. They appeared to 
     welcome the trade that has taken place in the absence of a 
     comprehensive trade agreement and looked forward to expanding 
     trade with such an agreement. The Vietnamese acknowledged 
     that they had a way to go in modifying their laws and 
     practices to enter fully the international marketplace. In 
     addition, they were eager to have the National Assembly, 
     their legislative branch, host a congressional delegation for 
     the first time. They expressed strong interest in expanding 
     contracts between our respective legislative branches in the 
     future.
       The Chinese leaders with whom the delegation met appeared 
     very interested in moving U.S.-Chinese relations in a more 
     positive direction. The delegation had a good exchange of 
     views with the Chinese in a number of areas, including 
     expressing the importance to the United States of human 
     rights practices; the need for improvements in China's trade 
     policies to open its markets and increase opportunities for 
     U.S. exports; and the need for additional attention in the 
     area of nuclear proliferation. They heard varying levels of 
     acknowledgment of U.S. positions and willingness to work with 
     us.
       The delegation also discussed with the Chinese the upcoming 
     July 1, 1997 transition in which Hong Kong reverts to Chinese 
     sovereignty. The delegation indicated that it is very 
     important to the U.S. that the transition go smoothly, and 
     the Chinese said that they wished to see that outcome as 
     well. The delegation also met with a wide range of Hong Kong 
     residents to assess their views on the transition. Some were 
     quite optimistic, as were the U.S. businesses with whom the 
     delegation met. Others were more cautious and pointed out the 
     potential for conflict.
       The delegation had a number of discussions with leaders in 
     China and Taiwan about the relations between Taiwan and the 
     Mainland. Both sides indicated that tensions had diminished 
     since the U.S. sent carriers to the Taiwan Straits shortly 
     before Taiwan's March 1996 election. However, the delegation 
     observed a wide gulf between each side's interpretation of 
     the relations between them and the prospects for 
     reunification.
     Tom Daschle,
     John Glenn,
     Patrick Leahy,
     Byron Dorgan,
     Dirk Kempthorne.

                          ____________________