[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 101 (Friday, July 24, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1440-E1441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DISAPPROVAL OF MOST-FAVORED-NATION TREATMENT FOR CHINA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TIM ROEMER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 22, 1998

  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 
121, disapproving Most Favored Nation trading status with China. I rise 
in strong support of normal trade relations and continued constructive 
engagement with China. I support constructive engagement with China as 
a method of improving our critically important bilateral relationship 
and pursuing our foreign policy goals to advance human rights and 
religious freedom. While progress is at times slow and painful, talks 
and diplomacy are key aspects of this bilateral relationship.
  Last year's trip by President Jiang Zemin to the United States to 
participate in the first U.S.-China Summit in a decade was the first 
step in achieving our goals through constructive engagement. President 
Clinton's highly successful trip to China last month demonstrated that 
constructive engagement is the most effective way to advance our 
national interests and promote our values. The United States is 
committed to improving human rights conditions in China, and I strongly 
believe human rights should remain a firm pillar of U.S. foreign 
policy.
  Under our policy of constructive engagement, China has acted 
forthrightly to address our differences, including human rights, both 
privately and publicly, advancing American values and principles of 
freedom and democracy. Within the past year, Chinese authorities 
released numerous political dissidents including Wei Jingsheng and Wan 
Dan as well as religious leaders like Bishop Zhou. China also signed 
the United Nations Covenant on Economic and Social Rights and has 
pledged to sign the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in the 
fall. This has resulted in meaningful improvements in the lives of 
millions of Chinese.
  Despite official restrictions, the number of religious adherents in 
China is growing rapidly, with tens of thousands of churches, both 
registered and unregistered, and with tens of millions of worshipers. I 
am pleased that Presidents Clinton and Jiang agreed to continued 
exchanges among officials and religious leaders to improve our mutual 
understanding of the role of religion in each country. The Chinese 
government has hosted several delegations of U.S. and foreign religious 
leaders and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

[[Page E1441]]

These are positive steps and clearly demonstrate that China is working 
to expand cooperation with us. We must continue to press for more 
religious freedom in China. As Billy Graham has written, ``Do not treat 
China as an adversary but as a friend.'' Revoking normal trade 
relations and disengaging China will not help its people achieve 
religious freedom or improved human rights conditions.
  Our policy of constructive engagement has also helped expand 
cooperation with China in critical areas important to our national 
security: improving financial stability in Asia, preventing the spread 
of chemical and biological agents on ballistic missiles, combating 
international crime and drug trafficking, protecting the environment 
and expanding free trade. China's resistance to devaluing its currency 
is a prime example of China's efforts to work with the international 
community to help slow the financial crisis in Asia. This is how the 
United States benefits from constructive engagement with China.
  It is also important to recognize that revoking normal trade 
relations could actually increase our $15.7 trade deficit. At this 
time, China represents the fastest growing market for U.S. exports and 
accounts for more than $150 million of exports from my State of Indiana 
alone. Since every other major trading partner extends normal trade 
relations to China, revoking this status would give our competitors in 
Europe and Asia a competitive edge in developing markets from the 
ground up, thereby placing at risk more than 400,000 high-paying U.S. 
jobs and billions of dollars worth of future exports. The best way to 
reduce our trade deficit with China is to use our trade laws to our 
advantage in order to tear down China's tariff barriers and to help 
U.S. exporters to compete in China's markets. We must continue to 
support policies consistent with fair and free trade.
  Mr. Speaker, I am confident that constructive engagement with China 
will lead to more positive results, advancing our trade interests and 
foreign policy goals regarding improved religious freedom and human 
rights conditions. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support 
constructive engagement and vote against this resolution to disapprove 
normal trade relations.

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