[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[September 28, 1992]
[Pages 1689-1690]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1689]]


Message to the House of Representatives Returning Without Approval the 
United States-China Act of 1992
September 28, 1992

To the House of Representatives:
    I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 5318, the ``United 
States-China Act of 1992,'' which places additional conditions on 
renewal of China's most-favored-nation (MFN) trade status.
    I share completely the goals of this legislation: to see greater 
Chinese adherence to international standards of human rights, free and 
fair trade practices, and international nonproliferation norms. However, 
adding broad conditions to China's MFN renewal would not lead to faster 
progress in advancing our goals. To those who advocate this approach, 
let me set the record straight.
    Our policy of comprehensive engagement lets the Chinese know in no 
uncertain terms that ``business as usual'' is not possible until they 
take steps to resolve our differences. Through multiple, focussed 
measures, we are eliciting the results we seek.
    This year China joined global efforts to control the spread of 
nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles by declaring adherence to the 
Missile Technology Control Regime's (MTCR) guidelines and parameters and 
signing the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Chinese behavior remains 
MTCR-consistent, and we have begun a dialogue with the Chinese on their 
responsibilities under the NPT. We continue to monitor vigilantly 
China's weapons export practices. We have used the sanction authorities 
available successfully and remain prepared to do so again if necessary.
    We have made progress on the resolution of outstanding trade issues 
with our agreements to protect Intellectual Property Rights and to ban 
prison labor exports. I will not allow, however, market access to remain 
a one-sided benefit in China's favor while our bilateral trade deficit 
grows. If China fails to reduce trade barriers, we are prepared to take 
trade action under the statutory guidelines of section 301 of the Trade 
Act of 1974.
    The limited steps China has taken on human rights are inadequate. 
But our human rights dialogue gives us an avenue to express our views 
directly to China's leaders. Significant improvement in China's human 
rights situation, including freedom for all those imprisoned solely for 
the peaceful expression of their beliefs, remains our objective. It is 
easy to be discouraged by the pace of progress in this area. But it 
would be a serious mistake to let our frustration lead us to gamble with 
policies that would undermine our goals.
    Withdrawing MFN or conditioning it, such that it will be withdrawn 
at a later date, will not promote these goals. H.R. 5318 imposes 
unworkable constraints on our bilateral trade. Among the casualties of 
this bill would be the dynamic, market-oriented regions of southern 
China and Hong Kong, as well as those Chinese who support reform and 
rely on outside contact for support.
    The impact of this bill would extend beyond the state enterprise 
system, harming independent industrial and agricultural entities that 
have sprung up in China since the advent of economic reform and its 
opening to the outside. These family-owned and operated entities are 
interlinked in the manufacturing process with large, state-controlled 
factories and marketing agencies. They would not be shielded from the 
effects of this bill.
    Americans too would be affected. This year our exports to China will 
climb to about $8 billion. China's retaliation for the loss of MFN would 
cost us this growing market and thousands of American jobs. We would 
cede our market share to our foreign competitors who impose no 
restrictions on their trade with China, at a time when China is taking 
market-opening measures that our trade negotiators fought to obtain.
    Our policy seeks to address issues of vital concern to us and looks 
to the future of our relations with a country that is home to almost 
one-quarter of the human race. MFN is a means to bring our influence to

[[Page 1690]]

bear on China. Comprehensive engagement is the process we use to 
transform this influence into positive change. The relationship between 
these two key elements of our China policy is a powerful one, and the 
absence of one element diminishes the potency of the other. We continue 
to advance broad U.S. objectives without imposing economic hardship on 
Americans because both elements of our policy are in place.
    Engagement through our democratic, economic, and educational 
institutions instead of confrontation offers the best hope for reform in 
China. MFN is the foundation we need to engage the Chinese. H.R. 5318 
places conditions on MFN renewal for China that will jeopardize this 
policy and includes a requirement that infringes upon the President's 
exclusive authority to undertake diplomatic negotiations on behalf of 
the United States.
    In order to protect the economic and foreign policy interests of the 
United States, I am returning H.R. 5318 to the House of Representatives 
without my approval.

                                                             George Bush

The White House,
September 28, 1992.