DATE=2/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=US - CHINA - WTO (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259038
BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Clinton administration - continuing its
campaign for Congressional support for permanent
normal trade relations for China - invited members of
the American agricultural community to Washington to
explain how China's accession to the World Trade
Organization will benefit them. Correspondent Deborah
Tate reports from the White House.
Text: Under a trade deal Washington negotiated with
Beijing last year, US lawmakers must approve normal
trade relations to China on a permanent basis before
that country joins the WTO. Currently, normal trade
benefits - which guarantee Chinese goods the same low-
tariff access to US markets as products from nearly
every other nation - are voted on annually. China,
in turn, agreed to reduce tariffs and open its markets
to U-S goods.
But the Clinton administration is concerned that the
collapse of the WTO talks in Seattle late last year
may embolden free trade opponents in Congress and
jeopardize chances the trade deal with China will be
approved. John Podesta is White House Chief of
Staff.
/// PODESTA ACTUALITY ///
This is going to be the toughest fight we will
face this year on Capitol Hill.
/// END ACT ///
What makes the issue especially problematic for the
administration is that much of the opposition comes
from lawmakers of President Clinton's own Democratic
party and their labor union allies, who believe freer
trade will lead to an erosion of labor and
environmental standards. Other opponents are
reluctant to expand trade with China because of
Beijing's questionable human rights record.
Administration officials counter those arguments,
saying there can be safeguards established to protect
workers' rights and the environment, and that
furthering trade with China can lead to an improvement
in human rights there.
On Thursday the administration sought the help of
American farmers and agricultural producers in making
its case to Congress.
US Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says more trade
with China would be a boon to struggling US farmers.
/// GLICKMAN ACTUALITY ///
The farm economy is very weak, and while not
every commodity is doing poorly, most are not up
to par. Most are seeing prices at lower
levels than we have seen in a very long time,
and it is just a fact of life that agriculture
needs the boost that access to the largest
market in the world can give them.
/// END ACT ///
US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky says under
the trade deal, which she helped negotiate, China
would cut tariffs and open its markets to US products
ranging from corn, wheat and rice to pork, beef and
poultry.
/// BARSHEFSKY ACTUALITY ///
China is going to cut agriculture tariffs by
more than half on our priority products, and
this will put China's tariffs below the tariffs
of a number of industrialized countries.
Second, China will end its system of
discriminatory licensing and import bans on bulk
commodities.
/// END ACT ///
That is especially good news to John Harden, President
of the American Pork Council:
/// HARDEN ACTUALITY ///
We recognize that the China - WTO deal does not
guarantee us sales, but we do view it as a
monumental opportunity. Why? Because China
consumes more pork than any country in the
world, and Chinese pork consumption continues to
grow.
/// END ACT ///
Administration officials say winning Congressional
approval of the China trade matter will depend largely
on farm and business interests pressing the issue with
individual members of Congress. (Signed)
NEB/DAT/TVM/PT
10-Feb-2000 19:47 PM EDT (11-Feb-2000 0047 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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