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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DISAPPROVAL OF MOST-FAVORED-NATION TREATMENT FOR CHINA 

[Page: E1350]

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HON. WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT

in the House of Representatives

TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1997

    Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, this vote is about many things. Human rights. Global security. Free--and fair--trade. But most importantly, it's about American credibility.

    Yesterday, a bill was on the calendar to prohibit financial transactions with terrorist nations like Iran, Libya, and Syria. It would have passed without debate.

    How ironic. China has provided Iran with advanced missile and chemical weapons technology. Sent missile -related components to Syria. And sold Libya materials to produce nuclear weapons.

    I suggest we have a credibility problem.

    And what of human rights? Last year Congress enacted the Helms-Burton Act to tighten the screws on the Castro government. Why? Because we decry the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Castro regime. Some of our staunchest allies threatened economic reprisals if this law were implemented. But that didn't stop us.

    Yet when it comes to China, we ignore our own State Department report that the human rights situation actually got worse in 1996.

    I suggest we have a credibility problem.

    Then, of course, there's trade. We rant and rave about the unfair trade practices of the Japanese. Yet, to quote from Sunday's Los Angeles Times, `China has developed a labyrinth of tariff and non-tariff barriers against United States goods and services that would make the Japanese blush.'

    That's why the Wall Street Journal reported this week that our trade deficit with China will soon surpass our deficit with Japan. Our trade relationship with China means a net loss of thousands of American jobs, and a projected deficit of fifty billion dollars this year.

    And we complain about the Japanese.

    I suggest we have a credibility problem.

    In fact, I submit that this vote is fundamentally about American credibility. Whether our policies will be consistent with our principles: On human rights. Global security. Free and fair trade.

    If, in fact, these are our principles, then we cannot demand compliance from the rest of the world and set a different standard for China. Vote yes on the resolution.



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