DATE=1/19/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S - CHINA - W-T-O (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258221
BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: President Clinton met with his cabinet
Wednesday to plot strategy for winning Congressional
support for China's entry into the World Trade
Organization. The effort is being led by Commerce
Secretary William Daley - who acknowledges the task
will not be easy. Correspondent Deborah Tate reports
from the White House.
Text: Before China gains membership in the W-T-O, the
U-S Congress must extend normal trade benefits to
China on a permanent basis.
But many lawmakers - particularly those in Mr.
Clinton's own Democratic party along with their
influential labor union supporters - are reluctant to
support freer trade, fearing it would lead to an
erosion of labor standards and environmental
protection.
Those were the same concerns expressed by protesters
who disrupted the W-T-O meeting in Seattle last month.
Administration officials are worried that the collapse
of those talks may embolden free trade opponents and
jeopardize congressional approval of China's
membership in the world trade body.
Secretary Daley argues that having the world's most
populous nation enter the W-T-O is in America's
interests because it will create U-S jobs. He says
the administration will make a concerted effort to
reach out to unions, and will wage an all-out campaign
for lawmakers' support.
/// FIRST DALEY ACTUALITY ///
We are going to have the entire cabinet, the
entire administration engaged on the (Capitol)
Hill, talking to members, talking to non-
governmental organizations, trying to get the
business and agriculture communities very
engaged, as I think they will be, and to sell
the deal.
/// END ACT ///
Speaking to reporters following the cabinet meeting,
Mr. Daley also responded to some lawmakers' concerns
about expanding trade with China in light of Beijing's
questionable human rights record.
/// SECOND DALEY ACTUALITY //
This is not about rewarding anyone for human
rights violations, or not moving forward. We
will continue to highlight the need for human
rights changes in China, and other changes -
which are occurring. But are they occurring as
some people want? No. But this is not a
carrot-and-stick situation, and I do not think
you can turn it into that. You cannot make one
dependent on the other.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Daley reiterated the administration position that
increased trade can help bring about change in China.
Under a deal Washington reached with Beijing in
November, U-S lawmakers are to extend permanent normal
trade status to China - which, in return, has agreed
to cut tariffs and open its markets to American goods.
Currently, normal trade benefits - which guarantee
Chinese goods the same low-tariff access to U-S
markets as products from nearly every other nation -
must be approved by Congress annually.
The Commerce Secretary says he hopes Congress will
vote on the issue early in the year - saying chances
for passage diminish as the November general elections
approach and the issue gets bogged down in partisan
politics. (Signed)
NEB/DAT/LTD/gm
19-Jan-2000 15:04 PM EDT (19-Jan-2000 2004 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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