[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 148 (Tuesday, December 5, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2121-E2122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PNTR HAS PASSED, BUT WHERE IS THE FREEDOM IN CHINA?

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 5, 2000

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, ``Protestant dies in Chinese jail'' was the 
headline of a recent article in the Washington Times. According to the 
article, a Chinese protestant man was arrested on September 4 while 
worshiping at an underground church service then later died after being 
beaten and denied medical care while in

[[Page E2122]]

prison. Liu Haitong was his name. He is one person who will never reap 
the so-called ``rewards'' of the United States giving China permanent 
normal trade relations (PNTR).
  It has been several months now since the House and Senate passed 
legislation giving PNTR to China and the president signed it into law. 
During the debate, we heard the arguments that PNTR will bring changes 
to China, that PNTR would open China, improve human rights, and reduce 
the national security threat that China poses to the U.S. However, 
while the signing ceremonies have taken place and the parties 
celebrating its passage have occurred, people like Liu Haitong continue 
to be persecuted, imprisoned, and in some cases killed, because of 
their faith.
  Many Members said that they voted in favor of PNTR because they 
thought it would bring about positive change in China's horrible human 
rights record, and that giving China PNTR would ultimately increase 
U.S. national security.
  According to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, at least 13 underground 
Roman Catholic bishops are locked away in Chinese jails, under house 
arrest, in prison through labor camps, under strict surveillance, or in 
hiding because of their faith. At least 12 Roman Catholic priests are 
in prison as are numerous other laity, many of whose whereabouts are 
unknown. PNTR has passed, but where is freedom for these people of 
faith?
  On the cusp of the vote on PNTR in the Senate on September 14, the 
Chinese government re-imprisoned Roman Catholic Bishop Zeng Jingmu, 
Bishop Zeng has spent much of the past 30 years in Chinese prisons and 
prison labor camps because of his faith. Imagine having to perform 
forced labor and having to spend most of your life in prison because of 
your faith.
  PNTR has passed, but where is freedom for Bishop Zeng?
  Practitioners of Falun Gong continue to be persecuted, beaten, and 
imprisoned because of their beliefs.
  PNTR has passed, but where is freedom for the Falun Gong?
  The Chinese government is pillaging Tibet. Thousands of Tibetan 
Buddhist monks, nuns, and believers are in Chinese prisons because of 
their faith.
  PNTR has passed, but where is freedom for the people of Tibet?
  There are hundreds of Protestant House Church leaders in prison and 
prison through labor camps because of their faith. PNTR has passed, but 
where is freedom for the Protestants house church?
  Thousands of Muslim Uighurs are imprisoned because of their faith.
  PNTR has passed, but where is freedom for the Muslim Uighurs?
  PNTR has passed, but religious persecution continues unabated in 
China to this day, over two months after passage.
  PNTR has passed, but a November 7 British Broadcasting Company (BBC) 
report says that the Chinese government is clamping down on the freedom 
of the Internet by asserting that websites that host chatrooms ``will 
be held responsible for ensuring that users do not post messages that 
could be interpreted by the government as `illegal.' '' The BBC report 
says that the new rules also require ``websites not run by state media 
to seek approval from the Information Office of the State Council, or 
cabinet, before they may publish news'' and that ``to publish news from 
foreign sources, websites must seek special permission.''
  PNTR has passed, but the United States is routinely portrayed as 
Enemy No. 1 by the Chinese military. According to an article in the 
November 15 Washington Post, the Chinese military is openly grappling 
with the likelihood that the United States and China could go to war, 
quoting Liu Jiangjia, an officer in the People's Liberation Army, as 
saying ``a new arms race has started to develop * * * war is not far 
from us now.''
  PNTR has passed, but there are numerous reports about China's 
increased presence and role in Africa. The Chinese National Petroleum 
Company's multibillion dollar investment and operations in the newly 
exploited oilfields in Sudan are very troubling. The Khartoum regime 
has one of the worst human rights record on the planet. And yet, the 
pumping of oil that is now occurring because of China's help is 
providing the Sudanese government with unprecedented revenue to conduct 
what many have described as genocide against the southern Sudanese 
population.
  It is clear to me that mere passage of PNTR is not enough to bring 
about positive change in China. In fact, in my opinion, PNTR has 
passed, but there is only business as usual in Beijing. There are many 
people in China who have not benefited from passage of PNTR and who may 
never benefit, unless those Members who voted for PNTR speak out on 
behalf of human rights in China.
  With permanent normal trade relations now in place, Congress will no 
longer annually review trade with China. That makes it even more vital 
that Members be more vocal and assertive in speaking out about human 
rights abuses in China, and about the national security concerns that 
continue to develop regarding Beijing.
  Those Members who vocally opposed PNTR must continue to speak out as 
well. But it is even more important for Members who supported PNTR to 
speak out as their voice, as a supporter of this legislation, may be 
more powerful and persuasive with the regime in China. And bringing 
about change in China is what needs to happen now.
  I urge all those Members who voted for PNTR to challenge the regime 
in Beijing. Speak out because the people who are suffering, who are 
imprisoned, or who are serving brutal prison through labor sentences 
need the concerted voice of Congress to bring about real and positive 
change in China.

                          ____________________