DATE=2/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA NTR (LONG-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259234
BYLINE=BARRY WOOD
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: President Clinton and opposition Republicans in
Congress have begun a major push to win passage of
normal trading status for China, a key component of
the plan to bring China into the World Trade
Organization. V-O-A's Barry Wood reports the House
Ways and Means Committee (Wednesday) held its first
hearing on the issue.
TEXT: President Clinton says the vote on China in the
Congress is more a national security than a political
issue. At a White House news conference (Wednesday),
Mr. Clinton said the U-S China trade deal is strongly
in favor of the United States.
/// CLINTON ACT ///
This trade agreement offers no increased access
to the American market by China but gives us
dramatically increased access to their market.
Moreover it means we get access to their market
without having to transfer technology or agree
to do manufacturing in their country.
/// END ACT ///
Ways and Means Committee (Republican) Chairman Bill
Archer agrees with President Clinton that the U-S
China trade deal negotiated in November benefits the
United States more than China.
/// ARCHER ACT ///
In effect the Chinese economically unilaterally
disarmed. And that is exceedingly important.
Unlike all other types of trade negotiations-
whether it be the Uruguay Round, whether it be
Nafta, whether it be the Canada Free Trade
Agreement, where we are expected to give up
something in order to get something from the
other side, in this agreement we gave up
nothing.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Archer's position was endorsed at the
congressional hearing by Charlene Barshevsky, the U-S
Trade Representative, who negotiated the deal. Ms.
Barshevsky says while China is making significant
concessions that will open its relatively closed
economy, all the United States has to do is approve N-
T-R.
/// BARSHEVSKY ACT ///
We make no change of any sort, not a percentage
point in any current market access policy toward
China. We change no law toward the export of
technology to China or the export of sensitive
material to China. We amend none of our trade
laws. Our one obligation is that we provide on a
permanent basis the trade status we have
accorded to China in every year in the last 22
years, and that is making normal trade status
with China permanent.
/// END ACT ///
A vote is several months off but already it is being
identified as one of the most important issues facing
Congress this year. Opponents come mainly from
President Clinton's democratic party. They include
trade unionists, environmentalists, and human rights
activists, the same groups that disrupted the failed
World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle last
November. (Signed)
NEB/BDW/gm
16-Feb-2000 17:39 PM EDT (16-Feb-2000 2239 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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