[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7268]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 7268]]

              PERMANENT NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS WITH CHINA

  (Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, the coming vote to expand our trade with 
China is a vote for the new economy. It is a vote that will clearly 
show whether the Members in this Congress are in favor of advancing 
America's high-tech economy or whether they want to flee from that 
future into the failed protectionist policies of the past.
  Mr. Speaker, China is a key market for America's high-tech industry. 
It is now the second largest information technology market in Asia, 
second only to Japan.
  It is an information technology market that is growing at 20 to 40 
percent annually. Next year, China will be the third largest 
semiconductor market in the world, and by 2010 it will be the number 
two largest.
  This is a boon for America and for the Chinese people. As information 
technology spreads in China, it will help the Chinese learn about their 
government and, more importantly, the world beyond. It will encourage 
democratic reform in China and help make China a more free and open 
society.
  Mr. Speaker, our high-tech industry got everything it needed in the 
trade agreement with China. We must not throw that away.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to approve PNTR. A vote for 
permanent normal trade relations is a vote for the new economy.

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