[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 107 (Friday, July 25, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8140-S8141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ON MFN

  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, Tuesday, the New York Times stated 
that the State Department would issue its first report on the worldwide 
persecution of Christians and this report would be sharply critical of 
China. That report was, in fact, released this past Wednesday, and I 
urge all of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate to read this report. This 
is the same report that the State Department originally promised to 
release to Congress on January 15, over 6 months ago. It is the same 
report that the State Department promised to release by the end of 
June, and the same report that the State Department promised to release 
before the House voted on China's most-favored-nation trading status.
  On June 18 of this year, my good friend and colleague from Wisconsin, 
Senator Feingold, and I sent a letter to both the President and to the 
Secretary of State, expressing our grave concerns about recent reports 
that suggested that the State Department was deliberately delaying the 
release of its findings on religious persecution throughout the world. 
It was my understanding that this report placed a specific focus on the 
persecution of Christians and other religious minorities around the 
world, and that the report singled out China for especially tough 
criticism.
  It is, in fact, the case, as the report has been issued and as I have 
surveyed that report, that that criticism is even more scathing than 
what had been anticipated. As I have stated on this floor many times, 
the 1996 State Department's human rights report on China revealed that 
the Chinese authorities had effectively stepped up efforts to suppress 
expressions of criticism and protest. This report said that all public 
dissent had been effectively silenced by either exile, imposition of 
prison terms, or intimidation. This latest report from the State 
Department, issued this week, further underscores the seriousness of 
the situation in China and the severity of the crackdown that has been 
imposed upon those who would express any opinion contrary to that of 
the Communist government.
  As an original cosponsor of the disapproval resolution on MFN to 
China, I believe serious human rights abuses persist in all areas of 
China today and that the continuous delay of this year's report on 
religious persecution raises the question as to this administration's 
willingness to engage in an open discussion of the effect of U.S. 
policy on human rights in China and around the world.
  I urge that the State Department report be delivered in a timely 
manner to ensure its full disclosure and debate prior to a vote on the 
extension of MFN to China. It seemed to be only right, only proper that 
the House and my Senate colleagues would have an opportunity to see the 
latest and most accurate information as to what is going on in China. 
That information was denied the House and it was denied my colleagues 
in the Senate, as we voted on the sense-of-the-Senate resolution last 
week. I even publicly made a request on the Senate floor for that 
report to be issued prior to any MFN debate and MFN vote.
  The State Department informed me that I would receive a copy of the 
report as soon as it was released. Mr. President, the fact was that the 
New York Times received a copy of this report before Congress did. This 
year's report states quite clearly that the Chinese Government has 
consistently violated its own constitutional guarantees of religious 
rights, cracking down on Catholic and Protestant groups, raiding 
worship groups meeting in private homes, and sometimes detaining and 
interrogating and even beating religious leaders. Furthermore, the 
report states:

       The government of China has sought to restrict all actual 
     religious practice to government-authorized religious 
     organizations. Some religious groups have registered, while 
     others were refused registration.

  I want to commend and express my appreciation to Senator Ashcroft 
from the State of Missouri for his willingness to come to the floor of 
the Senate this week and express his own outrage at the continuing 
deterioration of human rights conditions in China.
  Mr. President, I raise this question on the floor of the Senate 
today: Why was the State Department's report on religious persecution 
delayed, delayed, and delayed again, so that it was only released after 
all congressional votes and all congressional debate on MFN was 
history?
  Mr. President, I have serious concerns that officials of this 
administration are not willing to engage in an open discussion about 
United States policy toward China, and I am deeply disturbed about the 
timing of this report, especially in light of the votes that have 
transpired in both the House and the Senate in recent weeks.

[[Page S8141]]

  The revelation that human rights abuses continue to worsen in China, 
while our policy remains status quo, I believe, gives our own tacit 
consent to the terrible atrocities that are occurring in that great 
country.
  To remain silent when evil is perpetrated and injustice is being 
inflicted, I think, is to become a participant in that evil. So I urge 
my colleagues to obtain a copy of this year's report issued this week, 
read it, study it, and decide what action we should take as a nation 
against this regime that continues to disregard basic human rights.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. SPECTER addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Stevens). The Senator from Pennsylvania.

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