[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12181-S12183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 149--REGARDING THE STATE VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES 
           OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Smith of 
Oregon, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Grams, Mr. Robb, and Mr. Roth) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 149

       Whereas, the ability of the United States and the People's 
     Republic of China to avoid conflict, to cooperate, and to act 
     as partners rather than adversaries has a substantial bearing 
     on peace and stability in Asia and worldwide;
       Whereas on October 28-30, 1997, President Jiang Zemin of 
     the People's Republic of China conducted a state visit to 
     Washington, DC;
       Whereas the state visit included meetings with President 
     Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and the 
     Congressional leadership;
       Whereas, in connection with the state visit, china gave 
     clear assurances that it will conduct no new nuclear 
     cooperation with Iran, reiterated its commitment not to 
     assist unsafeguarded nuclear facilities, joined the Zangger 
     Committee, and promulgated national regulations to control 
     exports of nuclear material, equipment and technology;
       Whereas, President Clinton announced his intention to 
     certify that China has met the conditions necessary to 
     implement the 1985 Agreement for Cooperation Between the 
     Government of the United States and the Government of the 
     People's Republic of China Concerning the Peaceful Uses of 
     Nuclear Energy;
       Whereas China agreed to allow a delegation of American 
     religious leaders to conduct a fact-finding mission on 
     religious freedom in China, to resume a project of accounting 
     for prisoners, and to conduct preparatory talks on 
     establishing a Non-Governmental Organization forum on human 
     rights;
       Whereas the United States and China agreed to conduct 
     regular summit, cabinet-level, and sub-cabinet level meetings 
     in their respective capitals, and agreed to the establishment 
     of a direct telephone link between the two Presidents;
       Whereas the United States and China agreed to increase 
     contacts between their respective militaries in order to 
     avoid incidents at sea between their naval forces, and to 
     coordinate their responses to humanitarian crises;
       Whereas the United States and China agreed to increase 
     cooperation aimed at promoting the rule of law in China, 
     including training judges and lawyers, drafting legal codes, 
     and developing due process of law;
       Whereas the United States and China agreed to expand their 
     cooperation in law enforcement efforts, including by 
     stationing officers of the United States Drug Enforcement 
     Administration in the United States Embassy in Beijing;
       Whereas the United States and China have agreed to 
     cooperate on developing clean energy projects in China 
     through the use of United States products and technology;
       Whereas despite some significant achievements reached 
     during the state visit of President Hiang Zemin, many 
     significant concerns and problems remain in the U.S.-China 
     relationship;
       Whereas the United States continues to have serious 
     concerns about the human

[[Page S12182]]

     rights policies and practices of the People's Republic of 
     China, including the imprisonment of Wei Jingsheng, Wang Dan, 
     and other dissidents, limitations on the free practice of 
     religion, harsh population control measures (including 
     isolated reports of forced abortion), the use of prison labor 
     to produce cheap consumer goods, the continuing suppresson of 
     the people of Tibet, and the refusal of China's leadership to 
     meet with the Dalai Lama;
       Whereas the United States continues to have deep concerns 
     about reports of exports from China of nuclear, chemical, and 
     ballistic missile technology, and advanced conventional 
     weapons, to countries who are known proliferators, such as 
     Iran and Pakistan;
       Whereas the United States continues to seek from the 
     People's Republic of China measures to reduce the growing 
     trade imbalance between the United States and China, 
     including access to China's markets for United States 
     products and services;
       Whereas the United States believes it is imperative that 
     the People's Republic of China commit to resolving the Taiwan 
     question by exclusively peaceful means, and that both sides 
     should resume a Cross-Straits dialogue as soon as possible;
       Whereas the recently concluded U.S.-China summit is part of 
     President Clinton's articulated policy of engagement with the 
     People's Republic of China, a central goal of which is to 
     further draw the People's Republic of China into the 
     international community and toward internationally recognized 
     standards of behavior; and
       Whereas President Clinton accepted President Jiang's 
     invitation to make a return visit to the People's Republic of 
     China in 1998: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) welcomes the agreements and understanding reached by 
     the United States and the People's Republic of China during 
     the state visit of President Jiang Zemin;
       (2) urges the President to continue to press vigorously for 
     further progress in China's policies and practices in the 
     areas of human rights, nonproliferation, trade, Tibet, and 
     Taiwan;
       (3) views the expected return visit to the People's 
     Republic of China in 1998 by President Clinton as an 
     opportunity for the United States and the People's Republic 
     of China to advance their relationship by enhancing 
     cooperation in areas of accord and making genuine progress 
     toward resolving areas of disagreement.

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, today I am joined by a bipartisan 
group of my colleagues in submitting a resolution that expresses 
support for the agreements reached at the recent summit between 
President Clinton and President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of 
China.
  As the resolution makes clear, the United States and China did not 
come to agreement on every issue that divides us during the summit. 
Significant, even fundamental differences remain in some areas, 
particularly in the area of human rights. But there is no question that 
the summit was a positive step forward in building a cooperative 
partnership between the largest developed country and the largest 
developing country on earth.
  The summit has, of course, occasioned a vigorous debate on the United 
States' policy toward China. It seems to me that the key to a 
successful China policy is to be able to encourage this large nation to 
take its place in the world as a stable, responsible leader that can 
help ensure peace and stability in Asia and the world.
  The question is how to do this? Our choices seem to boil down to two:
  Some say we should contain China, prevent its rise, and isolate it 
from the world community. We should recognize it as an adversary.
  Others--myself and the cosponsors of this resolution included--say we 
should engage China, understand that our relationship is complex, 
develop a strategic partnership where we have like interests, and 
through intensive communication try to achieve common ground.
  Last week's summit was, in my view, the beginning of a course of 
ongoing top level dialogue and diplomacy.
  It showed that we must deal with China on the top levels. Prior to 
last week, our two presidents had had little communication. There was 
no red telephone, no way for the leaders to speak. Our dialogue was 
sporadic, and took place on second and third levels.
  Was the summit a success? Yes. It was definitely more that just a 
series of photo-ops. It accomplished progress and concrete results 
which bear explicit restatement.
  First, the summit established the ability of two country's leaders to 
talk with each other. They have resolved to engage in ongoing 
communication, conduct regular summit meetings--indeed, President 
Clinton will go to China next year--and the establishment of a 
telephone hotline.
  This high-level communication is important, because Beijing does not 
always know what all its ministries are doing. Our intelligence can 
help bring it to their attention, as was the case when Chinese 
companies shipped ring magnets to Pakistan. U.S. intelligence also 
helped China shut down a number of illegal CD factories.
  Second, the summit produced a very important nuclear non-
proliferation agreement. China committed that it would engage in no new 
export of nuclear technology, expertise, or equipment to Iran. This is 
in addition to China having already signed the N.P.T., the 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the CWC, and its commitment to abide by 
the Missile Technology Control Regime and its annexes. China also 
agreed to participate in multi-lateral efforts to control and monitor 
the export of nuclear materials. In exchange we have agreed to allow 
the export of peaceful nuclear energy technology to China.
  Third, the summit led to several extremely useful military-to-
military agreements. Two two sides agreed to expand military-to-
military exchanges, including at the Secretary of Defense level, and to 
establish communications links to avoid accidental incidents at sea 
between the our navies.
  Fourth, the summit produced agreements aimed at increasing U.S.-China 
cooperation on law enforcement. China agreed to the stationing of two 
DEA agents at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and we will expand our 
cooperation in combating organized crime, counterfeiting, alien 
smuggling, and money laundering.
  Fifth, the two sides reached agreements aimed at improving China's 
energy usage and decreasing its pollution problem. The United States 
and China will engage in a cooperative effort--using U.S. technology to 
work on China's serious urban air pollution problem, and to provide 
electricity to rural villages.
  Sixth, in perhaps the most important contribution we can make to the 
cause of human rights in China, the two sides agreed on a number of 
measures aimed at promoting the rule of law in China. The United States 
and China will engage in a joint effort in developing the rule of law 
in China. It will involve the training of judges and lawyers, exchanges 
of legal experts, and assistance to China in drafting new criminal, 
civil, and commercial codes.
  Seventh, even in the area of human rights, there were some modest 
gains. I emphasize ``modest'' because we still have fundamental 
differences with the Chinese on human rights. What we see as issues of 
basic human freedom and dignity, the regard as their ``internal 
affairs,'' with deep implications for China's stability and unity.
  America's position was clearly put forward--by the President, by 
Members of Congress, and by the many demonstrations that followed 
President Jiang around. I believe Chinese leaders may now have an 
understanding of the depth of feeling about human rights issues in the 
United States in a way they could not have known before the visit.
  Nevertheless, there was some limited progress. China agreed to 
receive a group of religious leaders from the U.S. to conduct fact-
finding on religious freedom. China also agreed to resume a prisoner 
accounting project run by a businessman and human rights activist, John 
Kamm. In addition, China agreed to the establishment of a non-
governmental organization human rights forum. Preparatory sessions will 
be held soon. And just prior to the summit, China signed the U.N. 
Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which obligates 
parties to promote these rights in their countries.
  Clearly, there were also major disappointments on human rights. There 
was no release of dissidents, and no comment that indicated any new 
thinking on Tiananmen Square. On Tibet, China clings to old and 
discredited arguments and has been non-committal on all overtures for 
talks with the Dalai Lama, and the repression in Tibet continues.
  But even with the disappointments, things are changing in China. No 
large country has changed as much as China has in the last 30 years 
since the end of cultural revolution. Today there is a freer lifestyle, 
an improved standard of

[[Page S12183]]

living, and much greater educational opportunities. There is a greater 
openness, and tremendous economic development. There is also a gradual 
lowering of tariffs and opening of borders.
  Our relationship with China is not without its strains. Taiwan, for 
example remains the number one issue of sensitivity for China. The 
Chinese view it as a fundamental issue of sovereignty. I think the 
Administration understands this, and is firmly committed to the One 
China policy.
  But otherwise, all issues remain negotiable and subject to the 
enterprise of diplomacy conducted at the highest levels. In this 
regard, the summit was definitely a step forward. For that reason, my 
colleagues and I submit this resolution to recognize the achievements 
of the summit, and to express our support for President Clinton's 
intention to make a return visit to China next year.

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