[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 89 (Monday, June 25, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H3494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CHINA'S THREAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED DURING APPROPRIATIONS SEASON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, tonight, as my colleagues 
know, the first vote we had dealt with the issue of American scholars 
of Chinese ancestry being held in detention, and this was passed 
overwhelmingly by the House. Everyone supported calling on China to 
release these people.
  I had planned last week to come on the floor and talk about North 
Carolina because I am one who is very, very concerned about the fact as 
we begin very shortly to discuss and debate the appropriations for our 
United States military.
  Too many times I think we as a Nation fail to realize that this is a 
very unsafe world that we live in. When I think about China and the 
things that China is doing to build up their military, then I think I 
have a responsibility back in the third district of North Carolina, 
which I have the privilege to represent to talk to the people about my 
concerns as their elected representative.
  Tonight, I wanted to take just a couple minutes of my time to say to 
the House and to those throughout this Nation that China has definitely 
positioned itself, in my opinion, to be an adversary of this country. 
We know what happened with our reconnaissance plane that has been held 
by the Chinese for several months now, which I understand is being 
taken apart and soon will be shipped back to America. That plane was in 
international airspace. It should never have been challenged by the 
Chinese fighter, but it was; and, therefore, the pilot, the American 
pilot had to land in China.
  I wanted to make reference to this chart that I have in front of the 
podium tonight, which was in The Washington Times, February 29 of the 
year 2000. And it says ``China Warns U.S. of Missile Strike.''
  Mr. Speaker, that to me is an arrogant statement and a very 
belligerent statement that China would be making towards the United 
States of America. This was when China was somewhat trying to threaten 
the Taiwanese Government by saying that we are going to fire missiles 
towards your country.
  I want to read one of the subtitles to this article. Again the title 
of the article by Bill Gertz is ``China Warns U.S. of Missile Strike''; 
and the subtitle says, ``It is not a wise move to be at war with a 
country such as China, a point which the U.S. policymakers know fairly 
well also.''
  This, Mr. Speaker, was a quote of the Liberation Army Daily, the 
official newspaper of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Again, I 
think that is a very threatening statement. I think it is a statement 
of belligerence. That, again, was long before our reconnaissance plane 
was forced down in China.
  Mr. Speaker, there is a book that I have finished reading that I 
think is an excellent book to inform the people of my district, the 
third district of North Carolina. It is called The China Threat. It is 
written by Bill Gertz. Bill Gertz writes for The Washington Times, and 
I think he is highly respected in certainly this city of Washington, 
this Nation, and throughout the world of his accuracy and his research. 
If people would get a chance to read this book, The China Threat, the 
subtitle, ``How the People's Republic targets America.''
  I want to read you just one aspect that is contained in this book: 
``An international Chinese military document exposes how Beijing is 
willing to launch a nuclear attack on the United States if America 
forces an attempt to defend Taiwan.''
  I bring that point up again, Mr. Speaker, because you can see from 
this chart that Admiral Blair spoke to the House and Senate Committee 
on Armed Services back on March 28 of the year 2001, and the admiral 
warns of perilous buildup of Chinese missiles.
  The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific told Congress today that 
China's ongoing missile buildup opposite Taiwan is destabilizing and 
leads to a U.S. response unless halted.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that those of us in the United 
States that will soon be debating the needs of our military that we 
remember and the American people remember that this is a very unsafe 
world that we live in.
  The only other chart I want to bring up, Mr. Speaker, was in The 
Washington Times just a few weeks ago. My colleagues can see this. It 
says, ``China Secretly Shipping Arms to Cuba.'' This was just a couple 
of weeks ago.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe it is important that, when we have a chance, 
those of us on the Committee on Armed Services, to talk here on the 
floor of the House as well as back in our district, that we need to 
remind the people of this country that there are those who do not 
appreciate our way of life and those who would like to challenge this 
country.
  So, Mr. Speaker, in closing, I do want to again say that it is always 
a privilege for me to represent the third district of North Carolina, 
the home of Camp Lejeune Marine Base, Cherry Point Marine Air Station, 
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and the Coast Guard. I have over 50,000 
retirees in my district who have served this Nation, veterans and 
retirees.
  Mr. Speaker, with that, I will close. I will say in closing this is a 
great book for anyone that is concerned about the national security of 
this Nation, The China Threat by Bill Gertz.

                          ____________________