[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           GRANTING PERMANENT NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS TO CHINA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 2000

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased with the passage of yesterday's 
legislation to grant Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) to China. 
Passage of PNTR is the first step in reforming China and advancing 
religious freedom and human rights for the Chinese people. Of course, 
change will not occur overnight in China. However, it will occur 
gradually through policies of normal trade, exchange and engagement, 
through peoples of faith, scholars, the workforce, and businesses.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record a powerful 
statement signed by a broad spectrum of religious leaders in support of 
PNTR. These individuals and their organizations have worked, and will 
continue to work, for the advancement of religious liberty and human 
rights.

  Statement by Religious Leaders in Support of Permanent Normal Trade 
          Relations With China (Expanded List of Signatories)

                                                     May 23, 2000.
       Dear Member of Congress: Soon you will be asked to vote on 
     an issue that will set the course for U.S.-China relations 
     for years to come: enacting Permanent Normal Trade Relations 
     (PNTR) with China. Your vote will also have an impact on how 
     human rights and religious freedom will advance for the 
     people of China in the years ahead. We are writing to urge 
     you to vote for PNTR for China because we believe that this 
     is the best way to advance these concerns over the long term.
       We share your concern for advancing human rights and 
     religious freedom for the people of China. The findings of 
     the recent report from the U.S. International Religious 
     Freedom Committee are disturbing to us. Clearly, the Chinese 
     government still has a long way to go.
       The question for us all is: What can the U.S. government do 
     that will best advance human rights and religious freedom for 
     the people of China? Are conditions more likely to improve 
     through isolation and containment or through opening trade, 
     investment, and exchange between peoples?
       Let us look first at what has already occurred within China 
     over the past twenty years. The gradual opening of trade, 
     investment, travel, and exchange between China and the rest 
     of the world has led to significant, positive changes for 
     human rights and religious freedom in China. We observe the 
     following:
       The number of international religious missions operating 
     openly in China has grown rapidly in recent years. Today 
     these groups provide educational, humanitarian, medical, and 
     development assistance in communities across China.
       Despite continued, documented acts of government 
     oppression, people in China nonetheless can worship, 
     participate in communities of faith, and move about the 
     country much more freely today than was even imaginable 
     twenty years ago.
       Today, people can communicate with each other and the 
     outside world much more easily and with much less 
     governmental interference through the tools of business and 
     trade: telephones, cell phones, faxes, and e-mail.
       On balance, foreign investment has introduced positive new 
     labor practices into the Chinese workplace, stimulating 
     growing aspirations for labor and human rights among Chinese 
     workers.
       These positive developments have come about gradually in 
     large part as a result of economic reforms by the Chinese 
     government and the accompanying normalization of trade, 
     investment, and exchange with the outside world. The 
     developing relationships between Chinese government 
     officials, business managers, workers, professors, students, 
     and people of faith and their foreign counterparts are 
     reflected in the development of new laws, government 
     policies, business and labor practices, personal freedom, and 
     spiritual seeking. Further, the Chinese government is much 
     more likely to develop the rule of law and observe 
     international norms of behavior if it is recognized by the 
     U.S. government as an equal, responsible partner within the 
     community of nations.
       The U.S. government and governments around the world have a 
     continuing, important role to play in challenging one another 
     through international forums to fully observe standards for 
     human rights and religious freedom. However, we do not 
     believe that the annual debate in the U.S. Congress, linking 
     justifiable concern for human rights and religious freedom in 
     China to the threat of unilateral U.S. trade sanctions, has 
     been productive toward that end.
       Change will not occur overnight in China. Nor can it be 
     imposed from outside. Rather, change will occur gradually, 
     and it will be inspired and shaped by the aspirations, 
     culture, and history of the Chinese people. We on the outside 
     can help advance religious freedom and human rights best 
     through policies of normal trade, exchange and engagement for 
     the mutual benefit of peoples of faith, scholars, workers, 
     and businesses. Enacting permanent normal trade relations 
     with China is the next, most important legislative step that 
     Congress can take to help in this process.
           Sincerely,
       Dr. Donald Argue, (Former President, National Association 
     of Evangelicals, representing 27 million Christians in the 
     United States of America); John A. Buehrens, (Unitarian 
     Universalist Association); Bruce Birchard, (Friends General 
     Conference); Myrrl Byler, (China Education Exchange, 
     Mennonite Church); Reverend Richard W. Cain, ((Emeritus) 
     President, Claremont School of Theology); Ralph Covell, 
     (Senior Professor of World Christianity, Denver Seminary); 
     Charles A. Davis, PhD, (The Evangelical Alliance Missions); 
     Father Robert F. Drinan, (Professor, Georgetown University 
     Law Center; Member of Congress, 1971-1981); Samuel E. 
     Ericsson, (President, Advocates International, a faith-based 
     global network of lawyers, judges, clergy, and national 
     leaders reaching over 100 nations for justice, 
     reconciliation, and ethics with offices on five continents); 
     Nancy Finneran, (Sisters of Loretto Community); Brent Fulton, 
     (President, ChinaSource, a non-profit, Christian Evangelical 
     organization connecting knowledge and leaders in service to 
     China); Dr. Richard L. Hamm, (Christian Church (Disciples of 
     Christ)); Kevin M. Hardin, (University Language Services); J. 
     Daniel Harrison, (President, Leadership Development 
     International); Bob Heimburger, (Professor (Ret.) Indiana 
     University); Rev. Earnest W. Hummer, (President, China 
     Outreach Ministries); John Jamison, (Intercultural Exchange 
     Network); Rodolf Mak, Ph.D., (Director of Chinese Church 
     Mobilization, OMF International); Jim Nickel, (ChinaSource, a 
     non-profit, Christian Evangelical organization connecting 
     knowledge and leaders in serve to China); Don Reeves, 
     (General Secretary (Interim) American Friends Service 
     Committee); Rabbi Arthur Schneier, D.D., (President, Appeal 
     of Conscience Foundation); Phil Schwab, (ChinaTeam 
     International Services, Ltd.); Dr. Stephen Steele, (Dawn 
     Ministries); Rev. Daniel B. Su, (Special Assistant to the 
     President, China Outreach Ministries); Bishop Melvin G. 
     Talbert, (The United Methodist Church); Dr. James H. Taylor 
     III, (President, MSI Professional Services International); 
     Finn Torjesen, (Executive Director, Evergreen Family 
     Friendship Service, a Christian, non-profit benefit 
     organization working in China); Joe Volk, (Executive 
     Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation); Rev. 
     Dr. Daniel E. Weiss, (American Baptist Churches, USA); Dr. 
     Hans M. Wilhelm, (China Partner, an organization serving 
     Church of China by training emerging young leaders); Rev. Dr. 
     Andrew Young, (President, National Council of Churches, 
     former ambassador to the United Nations and member of 
     Congress); Danny Yu, (Christian Leadership Exchange).

     

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