[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[April 11, 2000]
[Pages 676-677]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Permanent Normal Trade Relations With China
April 11, 2000

    Today I met with my national security team about the critical stakes 
in China's WTO accession and our decision regarding permanent normal 
trade relations.
    The economic reasons for PNTR are clearcut. Our markets already are 
open to China; the agreement we reached to bring China into the WTO 
doesn't require that we open them further in any way. What it does is to 
open China's markets to our workers, our farmers, our businesses. That 
means more jobs, growth, and exports for Americans. China will join the 
WTO regardless of what we decide to do. The decision before Congress is 
whether the United States will receive the same trade benefits from 
China as will our trade competitors.
    The national security implications are even more far-reaching. 
Bringing China into the WTO will entwine China in the global economy, 
increasing its interdependence with the rest of the world. It will bring 
the information revolution--with the knowledge and freedom of thought 
that entails--to millions of people in China in ways its Government 
cannot possibly control. It will accelerate the dismantling of China's 
state-owned enterprises--a process that is getting government out of 
people's lives and sparking social and political change all over China. 
It will strengthen China's reforms and the reformers behind them.
    That is reason enough to vote for PNTR. But I am also concerned 
about what a vote against PNTR would do. It would have extremely harmful 
consequences for our national security. Because the economic case for 
PNTR is so strong, the Chinese will see a rejection as a strategic 
decision by the United States to turn from cooperation to confrontation, 
to deal with China as an adversary. That would undercut the reform-
minded leaders who signed this agreement with us and strengthen the hand 
of hardliners who believe cooperating with the United States is a 
mistake. Those are the same forces most threatened by our alliances with 
Japan and Korea, the same forces that want the Chinese military to sell 
dangerous technologies, and the same forces that would pursue 
confrontation with Taiwan rather than dialog.
    It's no surprise that Taiwan's President-elect Chen strongly supports China's membership in the WTO and 
wants us to grant PNTR. He understands the importance of the stability 
that will come from good U.S.-China relations and China's membership in 
the WTO. If both Beijing and Taiwan are in the WTO, it will increase 
their interdependence and, therefore, the cost to Beijing of 
confrontation. If China is shut out, tensions in the Taiwan Strait will 
likely rise. Our ability to ease them will diminish.

[[Page 677]]

    We will spare no effort in the coming days and weeks to make sure 
that the Congress and the American people understand what the stakes 
are. And I am confident that when the debate is over and the votes are 
cast, the Congress will do what is right--both for our prosperity and 
our security.