[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 14 (Thursday, February 14, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PRESIDENT BUSH'S CHINA VISIT

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, later this month President Bush will be 
visiting the People's Republic of China. Clearly this is going to be an 
important visit. The issues the President will discuss with China's 
leaders are among the most important of our national agenda, including 
the following:
  The war on terrorism, where we need China's continued support and 
cooperation.
  The global economy and our bilateral economic relations with the PRC, 
a new member of the WTO.
  Security relations in Asia where both of our countries have important 
interests and long-standing and close ties to other regional powers.
  Among all these issues, though, one that will undoubtedly be raised 
by the PRC is Taiwan. It is a pretty safe bet that the PRC's leaders 
will try to use the President's visits to win some concessions on 
issues relating to Taiwan. They will probe for any signs that the 
United States is willing to compromise some of our interests in a 
strong U.S.-ROC relationship in exchange for real or promised 
strengthening of our ties with Beijing.
  I know the President will be ready for this gambit, and will be fully 
prepared and determined to turn back any such efforts by Beijing. The 
President has already made it clear how important our ties with Taiwan 
are to the United States, and he has made it equally clear that he will 
not compromise our interest in regard to Taiwan in any way.
  I am confident he also knows that as he pursues this strong, 
principled and sensible stand, he will have the full backing of the 
U.S. Senate. He will not stand for any Beijing attempts to undermine 
U.S.-ROC relations, and he knows the Senate of the United States won't, 
either.
  The fact is, the Republic of China is one of our best friends in the 
region. It is also one of the region's strongest economies and most 
vibrant democracies. We have extensive ties to Taiwan, which are both 
articulated and protected in the Taiwan Relations Act. We are not going 
to do anything to compromise those ties.
  I know I speak for all Senators when I express the wish that the 
President's visit to the PRC will be productive and advance our 
interests in Asia and the world, and when I express the confidence that 
U.S.-ROC relations will continue to be strong and to prosper, even as 
our relations with Beijing evolve.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, in keeping with my policy on public 
disclosure of holds, today I placed a hold on further action on the 
Clean Diamond Trade Act, legislation reported out by House of 
Representatives.
  Although this bill is very important to the continent of Africa's 
efforts to rid itself of rebels that use the sale of rough diamonds to 
overthrow legitimate governments, the measures in this legislation fall 
within the jurisdiction of the Finance Committee.
  The proposed legislation calls for prohibiting diamond imports and 
should be discussed thoroughly before any rash decisions are made. With 
this in mind it is necessary for this bill to be referred to the 
Finance Committee to be heard and debated by our members before we send 
this legislation back to the floor.

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