[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 29, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           U.S., INDIA, AND CHINA: TIME FOR NEW RELATIONSHIP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, in the latter part of March, President 
Clinton is scheduled to travel to India. His trip will mark the first 
visit by an American President to the world's largest democracy since 
1978. I would say that a visit to India by the leader of the free world 
is long overdue, and I want to express my appreciation to the President 
for making this historic trip.
  Mr. Speaker, my purpose this evening is to suggest that the President 
devote significant time during the trip to developing closer bilateral 
cooperation on defense and security issues to respond to common threats 
and challenges. This is an area where the need for a U.S.-India 
partnership is growing increasingly urgent. For years we have seen how 
many of the same forces of international terrorism that threaten 
American interests also pose a direct threat to India's security.
  Another common threat faced by India and the United States emanates 
from the People's Republic of China. In the last week, we have seen 
China threatening Taiwan with military force, belying Beijing's claims 
to favor peaceful reunification. This is, unfortunately, a familiar 
pattern. U.S. naval officials in the Pacific are currently trying to 
defuse the situation, and the administration is obviously concerned 
about the implications that Beijing's saber-rattling will have in a 
variety of areas. In this House just a few weeks ago, we passed the 
Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, which I supported.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe it is time for the United States to stop 
basing so much of our Asia policy on the hope of achieving a strategic 
partnership with China. Instead, I believe we should recognize the 
benefits of closer defense ties with India, a country which, unlike 
China, is a democracy and which, also in contrast to China, does not 
threaten its neighbors with the kinds of rhetoric and actions that 
Beijing has most recently demonstrated with regard to Taiwan.
  Toward this end, President Clinton's upcoming trip to India offers an 
opportunity to embark upon a new direction in U.S. policy in Asia. It 
is an opportunity to confront the threat posed by China to regional and 
independent national security and to make responses to this threat a 
higher priority.

  Mr. Speaker, India faces a very serious threat from China. The two 
countries share a border of approximately a thousand miles. In the 
1960s, China initiated a border war against India and continues to 
occupy Indian territory. More recently, we have seen China providing 
missile development and nuclear technology assistance to Pakistan as 
well as other unstable regimes. Pakistan, a country currently ruled by 
military dictatorship, launched a border conflict against India last 
year in Kashmir and continues to threaten India in a number of ways, 
including by providing support and a base for terrorist movements 
active in Kashmir. By aiding Pakistan, China is indirectly, but in a 
very real sense, threatening its neighbor India.
  India, on the other hand, Mr. Speaker, does not engage in 
proliferation activities. India has developed its own indigenous 
nuclear weapon and missile systems, but it does not share the sensitive 
technology with other nations, much less with unstable regimes that 
support international terrorism. India does not seek to promote 
tensions among neighboring countries, as China has cynically done in 
the India-Pakistan dispute.
  Given Chinese behavior and the common threat it poses to the United 
States and India, I believe that President Clinton should use his trip 
to India as the occasion to launch a new Indo-U.S. defense partnership. 
I will be calling on the President to take this much-needed action.
  While this is a bold new step, I believe we can lay the groundwork 
now for a far-reaching alliance between the United States and India, 
including greatly expanded International Military Education and 
Training, joint exercises and other military and political links that 
the U.S. currently maintains with our key democratic allies around the 
world. Such a partnership may take some time to fully develop, but now 
is the time for launching it and also pondering the details.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I maintain my view that the President should 
not go to Pakistan on his trip to South Asia. It is important that the 
administration continue to send the message to Islamabad that we are 
very concerned about Pakistan's role in promoting instability in 
Kashmir, about the links between Pakistan and terrorist organizations, 
and the crushing of civilian government by the military junta now in 
power.
  Currently, Pakistan is not on the President's South Asia itinerary. 
Mr. Speaker, Pakistan has done nothing to deserve a visit by the 
President of the United States.

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