[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2782-H2783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  OPENING DOORS TO THE PEOPLE OF CHINA

  (Mr. LINDER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to encourage change 
in China. PNTR for China will provide the Chinese people with access to 
western influence and ideas by forcing China to open their society to 
bring about positive economic and social changes.
  George W. Bush recently commented on Ronald Reagan's ``forward 
strategy for freedom.'' The Reagan adage, as espoused by the Texas 
governor, is that ``the case for trade is not just monetary, but moral. 
Economic freedom creates habits of liberty. And habits of liberty 
guarantee expectations of democracy. There are no guarantees, but there 
are good examples from Chile to Taiwan. Trade freely with China and 
time is on our side.''
  I also agree with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who predicts that

[[Page H2783]]

democracy will move steadily up the scale from the village to the 
province and, ultimately, to the highest national level.
  We cannot achieve these goals through economic isolationism. Wang 
Dan, a student leader at Tiananmen Square, said ``the west should not 
try to isolate the Communist regime. Economic change does influence 
political change.'' Let us support PNTR and allow free trade to open 
doors to the people of China.

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