ACCESSION NUMBER:229901
FILE ID:TX-203
DATE:06/02/92
TITLE:BUSH SAYS HE'LL EXTEND CHINA'S MFN STATUS FOR A YEAR (06/02/92)
TEXT:*92060203.TXT ECMFNTX TRADE GEN DANNHEISSER/et
BUSH SAYS HE'LL EXTEND CHINA'S MFN STATUS FOR A YEAR
1Text: Statement by press secretary) (450)
Washington -- White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater has reported
that President Bush will extend for a year the most-favored-nation trade
status accorded China -- an action opposed by many in Congress on grounds
of China's human rights policies.
Following is the text of Fitzwater's June 2 statement.
(begin text)
The president informed the Congress today that he plans to extend China's
most-favored-nation (MFN) status for another year. In making this
important decision, the president stressed that it is wrong to isolate
China if we hope to influence China.
Section 402 of the Trade Act of 1974 explicitly links eligibility for MFN to
the important human rights issue of free emigration. Continuation of the
current Jackson-Vanik waiver (and thus MFN trade status ) will
substantially promote freedom of emigration from China, as it has since
1979. China continues to permit the departure of citizens who qualify for
a U.S. immigrant visa.
Although we have seen positive, if limited, developments in our human rights
dialogue, the president has made clear to the Chinese that their respect
for internationally recognized human rights is insufficient. We are deeply
disappointed in China's limited actions with regard to internationally
recognized human rights, and cannot describe our relations as fully normal
until the Chinese Government effectively addresses these concerns. We want
to elicit a faster pace and a broader scope for human rights improvements
in China. Withdrawal of MFN would achieve neither of these objectives.
Short of fully normal relations, maintaining a constructive policy of
engagement with China has served U.S. interests. In our bilateral
relationship, we have used the tools available to achieve the foreign
policy goals shared by the administration and the Congress. This has been
true of our targeted use of 301 and Special 301 trade investigations and
our vigorous enforcement of the law against prison labor imports and
textile fraud. Our nonproliferation dialogue also has been successful:
China has acknowledged international nonproliferation standards by acceding
to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and declaring adherence to Missile
Technology Control Regime guidelines. We are monitoring these commitments
closely.
We have generated positive results without withdrawing MFN from China.
Withdrawal of MFN would inflict severe costs on American business people,
investors, and consumers. It would mean lost jobs and failed businesses in
the United States and a multibillion dollar surcharge on American
consumers' imports. Our direct engagement with the Chinese is on the whole
a successful policy. We intend to maintain it in order vigorously to
protect American interests while we promote positive change in China.
(end text)
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