[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 18, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5464-S5465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     BOMBING OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, the Senate is focused on many important 
issues this week, including youth violence, the important Y2K issue, 
emergency appropriations for our Nation's farmers, victims of Hurricane 
Mitch, and funding NATO's efforts in the Balkans. These are all very 
timely and important debates, and I look forward to joining my 
colleagues in discussing these important issues.
  For a moment, though, I would really like to focus the Senate on the 
recent accidental bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade and on the 
U.S.-China relationship.
  The bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade cannot be trivialized. 
As President Clinton has repeatedly expressed, the U.S. and NATO 
accepts full responsibility for this terrible mistake. We all extend 
our apologies to the Chinese people and the families of those who were 
killed and injured.
  I am prepared to accept that this unfortunate accident caused a lot 
of anger among the Chinese Government and the Chinese people. That is 
to be expected. Certainly our country would be outraged and saddened if 
our embassy had been bombed under such circumstances.

[[Page S5465]]

  But our regret and apologies to the Chinese people do not diminish 
the fact that we cannot accept the deliberate harassment of U.S. 
citizens and destruction of U.S. property in China. The reports from 
China--the television images of our embassy targeted by orchestrated 
mobs--troubled me a great deal.
  Americans are dismayed at the growing animosity of the Chinese people 
towards the United States. For the U.S.-China relationship to succeed, 
both countries must take strides to ensure that the presentation of the 
relationship is balanced and fair. Clearly, this did not happen in the 
days before or after the tragic embassy bombing.
  I am heartened that things do seem to have calmed down throughout 
China. It is encouraging that President Clinton and President Jiang 
have spoken and resumed high-level discussions over the bombing and 
other important U.S.-China issues.
  Some of my colleagues have mentioned the phenomenal work of our 
Ambassador in China, Jim Sasser, who is our former Senate colleague and 
a close friend. He has served our country with great honor. I commend 
him and all of our embassy and consulate officers who are serving in 
China.
  Ambassador Sasser has given us great insight as he addressed the 
tragic bombing of the Chinese Embassy and the demonstrations and 
violence that followed in Beijing and other Chinese cities.
  Let me share a few of Ambassador Sasser's comments with my colleagues 
as I do believe they serve as a reminder that the U.S.-China 
relationship is, in my opinion, one of our most difficult and most 
important relationships.
  Ambassador Sasser said,

       When all the emotion has drained out of this terrible 
     tragedy, then wiser heads in both China and the United States 
     are going to realize it's in both countries' interest to try 
     and resume constructive ties. . . . When we are all through 
     grieving over this very tragic event that occurred, the 
     United States will still be the economic superpower in the 
     world and China will still be the most populous nation in the 
     world and an emerging power in this region.

  Once again, our former colleague has offered wise counsel to the 
Senate that will be very important to future China debates.
  The unfortunate Embassy bombing should not be used by those in China 
as a justification for severing or postponing ties with the U.S. Nor 
should China think that this incident will lessen America's resolve as 
we address the issues of human rights, weapons proliferation, or the 
issues related to espionage targeted at U.S. nuclear facilities.
  One of my hometown papers offered the following in an editorial last 
week, the editorial reads, ``China is furious and rightly so. The test, 
however, is whether China plays the incident like the country it wants 
to be, a world leader that sees events and relationships in a larger 
context.'' I completely agree and I believe that many in Congress will 
judge China's ability to play a larger role on the international scene 
by her handling of this temporary crisis in the relationship with the 
U.S.
  The United States, and particularly the Congress, must also 
demonstrate our commitment to responsible global leadership. We should 
be cautious as last week's unfortunate events enter the contentious 
political debates over U.S.-China relations. I continue to believe a 
mature and stable relationship with China is in our national interest. 
It is not a goal we should be prepared to abandon. A mature and stable 
relationship is certainly in the best interest of the American and 
Chinese people. Though progress toward this goal has been hampered by 
the events of this last week, it is still a goal we should strive for. 
We must continue our dialogue with China.
  China should expect continued U.S. interest and in fact, vigilance, 
on the variety of issues important to the U.S. government and the 
American people. There will not be widespread concessions granted by 
the United States. The Embassy bombing was a tragic mistake, not a 
propaganda tool to be deployed at the bargaining table.
  Consistent with admitting the mistake and accepting responsibility, 
the United States and NATO should be prepared to enter into talks with 
China about appropriate compensation for individual and government 
losses. This is not unprecedented. In the late 1980's, Iraq paid 
compensation to the families of U.S. sailors killed in the accidental 
bombing of the U.S.S. Stark during the Iran-Iraq war. Following the 
downing of an Iranian passenger plane, the United States offered to 
compensate the victims families. And the U.S. is now in the midst of 
paying compensation for property damage and to the victims' families 
for last year's cable car accident in Italy.
  The U.S. and China both stand to gain by closer relations. China has 
become one of our largest trading partners, creating high-wage jobs for 
thousands of American families and opening markets for American 
businesses that depend on overseas trade. While trade is the foundation 
of the U.S.-China relationship, my home state of Washington's 
relationship with China clearly illustrates the promise of broader ties 
between Americans and the Chinese people. Washington's many cultural, 
educational and commercial ties are fostering dramatic change in China; 
change led by and on behalf of the Chinese people.
  With the recent visit to the United States by Chinese Premier Zhu 
Rongi and the ongoing negotiations between our two governments, the 
U.S. and China are poised to reach a truly historic agreement, paving 
the way for China's entry into the World Trade Organization this year. 
I support China's entry into the WTO on commercially viable terms and I 
encourage the United States Trade Representative and her Chinese 
counterparts to resume negotiations at the earliest opportunity.
  Because of the importance of the U.S.-China relationship, I believe a 
high-level U.S. delegation to China, headed by Secretary of Defense 
William Cohen, is warranted as soon as possible. I realize the 
difficulties of sending the Secretary of Defense half way around the 
world while the U.S. is prosecuting military action in the Balkans. But 
the U.S.-China relationship is so important, and we have been 
struggling with so many difficult issues within the context of that 
relationship, that I believe the maximum effort must be made to provide 
the Chinese leadership with a full and complete understanding of the 
accidental bombing of their embassy. I know that Secretary Cohen is 
well respected by the Chinese, and a trip by the Secretary to China 
would have the dual purpose of stressing to the Chinese the great 
importance we place on having a mature and stable relationship and 
underscoring the accidental nature of the Embassy bombing.
  Much progress has been made on the U.S.-China relationship in recent 
years. The Zhu Rongi visit was important. This followed two 
Presidential Summits in Washington and Beijing. It is my hope that the 
recent tragic events do not derail the progress made toward building a 
strong and comprehensive U.S.-China relationship, based on trust and 
mutual understanding. The relationship can only exist if both 
governments and both peoples can deal with each other honestly and 
forthrightly. Now is the time to address the issues standing in the way 
of accomplishing this. Now is the time to move forward.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Crapo). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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