[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 146 (Monday, October 27, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11237-S11238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 57--EXPRESSING THE POLICY OF CONGRESS
Mr. MACK (for himself, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Nickles, and Mr. Craig)
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Con. Res. 57
Whereas at the invitation of President Clinton, President
Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China is beginning a
state visit to the United States which will culminate in a
summit meeting with President Clinton on October 29, 1997;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China,
as detailed in successive annual reports on human rights by
the Department of State, routinely, systematically, and
massively violates the human rights of its citizens,
including but not limited to freedom of speech, assembly,
worship, and peaceful political dissent;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China
routinely, systematically, and massively restricts the
ability of religious adherents, including Christians,
Buddhists, Muslims, and others, to practice outside of state-
approved religious organizations, and detains worshipers and
clergy who participate in religious services conducted
outside state-approved religious organizations, as well as
those who refuse to register with the authorities as
required;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China
routinely, systematically, and massively continues to commit
widespread human rights abuses in Tibet, including instances
of death in detention, torture, arbitrary arrest, detention
without public trial, long detention of Tibetan nationalists
for peacefully expressing their religious and political
views, and intensified controls on religion and on freedom of
speech and the press, particularly for ethnic Tibetans;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China
routinely, systematically, and massively engages in
reprehensible, brutal, and coercive family planning
practices, including forced abortion and forced
sterilization, resulting in widespread infanticide,
particularly of female infants;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China
systematically engages in the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction and advanced ballistic missile technology;
Whereas the regional and bilateral national security
relationships of the United States and the current level of
United States military forces in east Asia and the western
Pacific region are integral to the maintenance of peace and
security in the Asian Pacific region;
Whereas the People's Republic of China employs mercantilist
and protectionist trade practices, including the imposition
of tariffs and nontariff barriers with respect to United
States imports to that country, which result in a market
distortion between the United States and the People's
Republic of China; and
Whereas there are credible and specific reports that the
Government of the People's Republic of China has been
involved in calculated efforts to subvert the American
political process, and that persons believed to have
information about such efforts have fled to the People's
Republic of China to avoid cooperating with official
inquiries into these efforts: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (The House of Representatives
concurring), That Congress--
(1) declares that it is the policy of the United States
with respect to the People's Republic of China--
(A) to encourage freedom and democracy in the People's
Republic of China and to deter the Government of the People's
Republic of China from engaging in activities that are
contrary to the national security interests of the United
States and the peace and security of the Asian Pacific
region;
(B) to encourage the Government of the People's Republic of
China to make progress towards improving overall human rights
conditions in China and Tibet, including taking concrete
steps to assure freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and
freedom of association in compliance with international
standards on human rights;
(C) to encourage the Government of the People's Republic of
China to channel its emerging power and influence along paths
that are conducive to peace, stability, and development in
the Asian Pacific region; and
(D) to support integration of the People's Republic of
China into the community of nations;
(2) urges President Clinton to communicate the policy of
the United States, in the strongest possible terms, to
President Jiang during their summit meeting and to demand
that the People's Republic of China immediately--
(A) cease persecuting Chinese Christians, as well as
members of other religious faiths, and release all persons
incarcerated because of religious beliefs, or democracy-
related activities, in particular Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan;
(B) cease coercive population control practices, including
forced abortion, forced sterilization, and infanticide;
(C) cease efforts to subvert the American political process
and return to the United States persons involved in such
efforts;
(D) cease nonreciprocal tariff and nontariff barriers
relating to United States imports to the People's Republic of
China;
(E) cease resistance to transparency in its trade
practices;
(F) cease exports to the United States of products made
with prison labor;
(G) cease activities leading to proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction and advanced ballistic missile technology
(such as C-801 and C-802 cruise missiles); and
(H) cease evasion of United States export controls and
other laws; and
(3) reaffirms the policy promulgated in the Taiwan
Relations Act (Public Law 96-8) and insists that the Taiwan
Relations Act be fully implemented by the President.
Mr. MACK. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a concurrent
resolution on the Clinton-Jiang United States-People's Republic of
China summit with my colleagues Senators Abraham, Nickles, and Craig. I
am compelled to do this for two reasons.
First, let me provide some context for my comments. I traveled to
China this past March to address Hong Kong reversion issues, and
returned concerned about United States-China relations. My concern grew
from what I perceived as the distance between the shared humanity of
American and Chinese people, and the distrust of people expressed by
the autocratic Government of the People's Republic of China.
My two issues with this summit are these:
First, we know what President Jiang gets from this visit; we do not
know what President Clinton will receive in return for the American
people.
Second, unfortunately, it seems that the bar has been lowered--the
administration has lowered expectations for the summit--in order to
more easily achieve the appearance of a successful summit. If the
United States abandons realistic and important summit deliverables
until a possible 1998 Clinton visit to Beijing, United States values
today will be sacrificed for political gain tomorrow.
Let me elaborate on these points. What does Jiang get? He gets more
power in Beijing.
He is the leader of the largest authoritarian government in the
world. His top priority, as a Communist leader, is consolidation of
power and longevity in office.
His overriding goal for the summit, therefore, is to demonstrate that
he can deal effectively with the United States. He wants to bring home
symbolic proof that the United States views the People's Republic of
China, with Jiang at the helm, as a respected global power.
This state visit will deliver the symbolism President Jiang so
strongly seeks.
What do we get? We do not yet know because there is not an
articulated United States-China policy.
President Clinton has no articulated China policy and will not likely
produce one during this summit. This may be the single most dangerous
aspect of our relationship with China.
President Clinton this week must deliver a milestone in a clearly
articulated policy which supports a coherent and well defined strategy.
And he must bring the Congress and American people with him.
To do this, he should attain specific deliverables on human rights,
weapons proliferation, and trade.
Therefore, Mr President, today we are introducing this resolution to
articulate our specific expectations. During this summit, the United
States should do the following: State United States support for the
democratization of China; call for progress on human rights, and the
immediate release of prisoners of conscience, including Wei Jingsheng
and Wang Dan; call for concrete steps to prevent the proliferation of
weapons and weapons technology, including nuclear technology and cruise
missiles; call for concrete progress to cease unfair market practices;
state United States commitment to maintaining regional peace and
security by working with our regional allies; and reaffirm United
States policy promulgated in the Taiwan Relations Act.
Mr President, I hope that President Clinton will not lose this
opportunity to gain concrete progress on the vitally important United
States-China relationship.
If we solidify Jiang's hold on political power in Beijing, and in
return
[[Page S11238]]
must wait until a possible Beijing summit next year before the American
people get what they desire--trade, human rights, and national security
progress--the failure of the summit will not be lost on the Congress or
the American people.
Nonaction represents an opportunity cost, Mr. President. My question
to President Clinton is this, ``What price would you have the people of
the United States and China pay for this week's headlines.''
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues Senator Mack
and Senator Nickles in cosponsoring Senate Concurrent Resolution 57.
This resolution concerns the imminent state visit of President Jiang
Zemin of the People's Republic of China and his summit meeting with
President Clinton. It expresses the sense of the Senate that that
meeting should address critical human rights and national security
issues.
Mr. President, I have come to the floor several times in recent days
to express my belief that it would be inappropriate and
counterproductive for our President to welcome the Chinese Communist
leader at a state visit without insisting on significant progress on
the part of the Chinese Government in areas of great concern to our
country.
The ceremonial niceties and diplomatic prestige of a state visit in
my opinion may, particularly if unaccompanied by substantive action,
give the unfortunate impression that the United States approves of the
numerous human rights abuses and instances of weapons proliferation
undertaken by the current Chinese Government. I joined with Senator
Feingold and Senator Helms in sponsoring a resolution calling on the
administration to make this a working rather than a state visit so that
the administration might work on the many issues of concern to both our
countries without providing undue legitimacy to current Chinese
practice.
Let there be no mistake, Mr. President. China is an important player
on the world scene. We cannot and should not attempt to avoid dealings
with this nation of a billion people. That is why I supported
maintaining most favored nation trading status with China. In my view
it is critical that we remain engaged with the people of China through
greater trade, private investment and openness. But I also am convinced
that this administration must do more to add substance to our
relationship with the Chinese Government.
Twenty-one gun salutes and red carpets, both used to welcome
President Jiang on his landing in Hawaii, are inappropriate, given our
serious disagreements on critical issues affecting American national
security, human rights, and international peace and stability.
Amidst the champagne toasts of a state visit, we cannot ignore
Chinese sales of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear technology to
countries like Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan.
We cannot ignore Chinese Government restrictions on the ability of
Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and others to practice their religions
outside of state-controlled organizations and the common practice of
detaining worshipers and clergy who practice their religion through
their own organizations.
We cannot ignore the People's Republic of China's massive, routine,
and systematic human rights abuses in Tibet, including arbitrary
arrest, torture and even death for those who seek to peacefully
practice their religion and/or work for expanded political and human
rights.
We cannot ignore the Chinese Government's routine, systematic, and
massive program of coercive family planning practices, including forced
abortion, forced sterilization and even infanticide.
We must forcefully raise these issues with President Jiang. We must
insist that they be addressed, and that progress be made toward greater
respect for human rights and the requirements of international peace
and stability.
Toward that end, Mr. President, I believe it is crucial that this be
made a substantive, rather than merely a ceremonial visit. That is why
I am happy to join Senator Mack and Senator Nickles in introducing this
Sense-of-the-Senate Resolution, outlining a concrete agenda for the
Jiang-Clinton summit.
Specifically, this resolution declares that it is the policy of the
United States to uphold the Taiwan Relations Act, and insist that
President Clinton fully implement that important agreement. This act
provides the framework for strong economic and security relations
between the United States and the democratic Government of Taiwan. Full
implementation will protect an important ally and show our commitment
to freedom in the Asian-Pacific region.
Further, this resolution declares our policy to encourage freedom and
democracy in the People's Republic of China and to deter the Government
of that country from engaging in activities contrary to the national
security interests of the United States, and the peace and security of
the Asian Pacific region.
The resolution encourages the Chinese Government to take concrete
steps to assure freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of
association in compliance with international standards of human rights.
It also declares that United States policy should encourage the
Government of the People's Republic of China to channel its emerging
power and prestige along paths conducive to peace, stability and
development in the Asian Pacific region.
Mr. President, this resolution is intended to move President Clinton
to communicate this country's resolve to defend freedom, democracy, and
international stability, as well as our commitment to encouraging the
People's Republic of China to integrate itself peacefully into the
community of nations.
It also calls on President Clinton to make a number of specific
demands, including:
First, that the Chinese Government dismantle tariff and nontariff
barriers to American exports to China and stop its export to the United
States of products made with prison labor;
Second, that the Chinese Government cease persecuting Chinese
Christians, as well as members of other religious faiths, and release
all persons incarcerated for their religious or other human rights
related activities, in particular Wei Jeng Sheng and Wang Dan.
Third, that it end its coercive population control practices,
including its practice of forced abortion, forced sterilization, and
infanticide;
Fourth, that the Chinese Government stop its activities leading to
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and advanced ballistic
missile technology, and
Fifth, that the Chinese Government stop its evasion of United States
export control and other laws.
Mr. President, by making these demands on the Chinese regime, the
President would put in place the structure needed for a coherent China
policy; a policy aimed at protecting our national interests and
improving human rights conditions in China. I firmly believe that it is
America's duty as well as our interest to make the extra effort
necessary to improve overall human rights conditions in China and to
integrate her into the community of nations. I urge my colleagues to
support this resolution and I call on the President to demand that the
Chinese Government bring itself into compliance with international
standards of human rights and put itself on the side of international
peace and stability.
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