[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2901]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       TAIWAN ELECTIONS AND CHINA

  (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, China has done it again. Yesterday, 
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji threatened violence against Taiwan because 
it is holding free elections. He said to the people of Taiwan, ``Do not 
act with impulse at this juncture. Otherwise, I am afraid you will not 
get another opportunity to regret.''
  This Chinese dictatorship condones forced abortions, engages in 
religious persecution against Christians and Muslims and Buddhists, has 
institutionalized slave labor and child labor. Even attempting to form 
an independent labor union in China is an offense punishable by death.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress has been promised over and over that free 
market capitalism will create a more democratic and less hostile China. 
Yet, after 10 years of U.S. engagement with China, that nation remains 
a nation ruled by an authoritarian government with a violent aversion 
to human rights and a hostility to environment and labor standards.
  What makes anyone think the next 10 years will be different? There 
are more corporate jets at Reagan National Airport during congressional 
debate on China every year than at any time during the year. A WTO deal 
for China is more about gaining access to a billion workers than it is 
a billion consumers. Vote no on permanent NTR.

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