[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11370-S11371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE STATE VISIT OF JIANG ZEMIN PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, this week one of the most important 
events since the end of World War II will take place here in 
Washington. It is the State visit of the National Leader of the Peoples 
Republic of China. The future of United States-China relations will 
somewhat be forged on the occasion of

[[Page S11371]]

the visit of the President of People's Republic of China, Jiang Zemin. 
This summit will, hopefully, define our challenges and opportunities 
and could and should serve as a model for future discussions for both 
nations.
  Let me say that I continue to be disturbed by some of the actions 
embarked upon by the PRC. The militaristic actions toward Taiwan, the 
sale of weapons to Iran, Pakistan, Syria, and other nations, and the 
internal human rights violations that continue to occur to name the 
main ones.
  However, policy of isolation has never proven successful in 
international relations. In fact, a detriment to all this nation has to 
offer and the very doctrines we abide by and stand for.
  An example: I have not been totally convinced the need for the 
expansion of NATO--I can hear it now--what does China and NATO have to 
do with one another and it there a relationship.
  Well, as a Western State Senator, I have a tendency to view our 
foreign policy from the Pacific, rather than the Atlantic. In my 
opinion, looking from the standpoint of NATO, Europe, Russia continues 
to have difficulties with the fact that NATO enlargement is under 
consideration. Russia is a cash poor nation with an overabundance of 
military weapons, a silent industry base, and a unmanageable 
bureaucracy. On the other hand, the PRC, their neighbor, is a cash rich 
nation searching for ways to expand investments throughout the world.
  For the moment China, has not been allowed access to Western military 
technology. The West has not allowed and for good reason. I wholly 
agree with a nonaccess policy given obvious actions taken by the PRC.
  Therefore, China's defense industry does not have the command, 
control, computer, and communication systems, known collectively as 
``C4''.
  Even with these limitations, China continues its work on advanced 
cruise missiles, a satellite positioning system, and airborne early-
warning radar.
  To facilitate this continued work, China's government has now turned 
to Russia as the best available source of military foreign technology 
from foreign sources.
  It has brought 72 SU-27 fighters--and plans to build more under 
license--as well as Russian kilo submarines. There is good news. With a 
limited procurement budget, it cannot splash out on imports. The only 
good news is that Russia is still unwilling to sell China its best 
equipment.
  From these facts, one is able to determine that a China that is 
alienated by the United States will continue to invest their funds for 
modern military technology wherever, even with their neighbor, and 
possible ally, Russia to ``divide and conquer'' any perceived threats 
to their borders, whether it be their Eastern or Western border.
  However, if the United States commits to an open dialog--tries in the 
most earnest way to work out the differences that exist, it is my hope 
the PRC will become an integrated member of the international community 
and begin to act as responsible member of that community. This can only 
further peace and stability for both nations and the world.
  Besides its recent economic advancements, it is incumbent that the 
United States have a constructive working relationship with China. The 
reasons are obvious:
  The People's Republic of China [PRC] plays a major role in the post-
cold-war world;
  It is the world's most populous nation, about 1.2 billion people, and 
the third-largest in land mass after Russia and Canada;
  It has nuclear weapons, is a growing military power, and plays a key 
role in regional stability while emerging as a regional leader in Asia; 
and
  As one of the five permanent Members of the U.N. Security Council, 
China has veto power over security council resolutions dealing with key 
multilateral issues, including international peacekeeping and the 
resolution of regional conflicts.
  Finally, Mr. President, the upcoming summit is an important 
opportunity to address many issues that will be of importance to all 
Americans especially Mountains. Agriculture cannot be left out in these 
discussions.

  Our Nation was founded on hard work, innovative technologies in 
agricultural production. U.S. farmer and ranchers have supplied our 
Nation and the world with clean, safe and affordable food since our 
humble beginnings.
  We are a leader in agriculture exports. This fact is sometimes 
transparent in the eyes of those who would rather consider the United 
States as a nation of fiber optics rather than food and fiber. But, I 
say we can do both.
  In 1996, China's farmers produced a bumper wheat crop. That along 
with a dispute over unfounded accusations and over reaction over 
alleged infected wheat contributed to a severe decrease in the United 
States grain exports to China.
  China's ban on United States imports of wheat is based on 
scientifically unfounded trade evidence linked to insignificant disease 
commonly known as tck smut. This diseases is present in Canada, as well 
as Europe. Such barriers-to-entry are and will be a barrier to China's 
entry into the WTO.
  We've seen this type of attack on U.S. agriculture before. Recently, 
the European Union objected to United States beef imports based on 
scientifically unfounded evidence; eventually, the United States 
prevailed in a WTO challenge but not before the United States cattle 
industry was damaged and European markets found their beef exports 
elsewhere.
  Mr. President, U.S. farmers and ranchers produce the healthiest and 
best food commodities in the world. If we are truly supposed to be a 
global economy, we need to put our great American agriculture on an 
equal basis with semiconductors and automobiles. Agriculture has always 
been dealt away first in all of the trade agreements in the last 50 
years. It is not fair or right that the great machine of food and fiber 
production be left picking up the scraps.
  I think that the United States is following the same course as our 
relations with Russia in the late 1980's. An establishment of ties with 
China does not necessarily imply an endorsement of their policies. I 
believe that the freedom that the United States embraces can only serve 
as an example to the Chinese people. The summits between President 
Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev brought about the fall of the Berlin wall--
there were naysayers then so maybe the talks that the we begin now, 
will lead to the opening of the Great Wall of China.

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