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05 April 2000

Text: Commerce Secretary on House Speaker's China NTR Vote Pledge

(Daley: Hails May date for vote as important step forward) (430)
From Beijing where he is meeting with Chinese officials and
co-chairing the 13th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on
Commerce and Trade (JCCT), Commerce Secretary William Daley hailed
House Speaker Representative Dennis Hastert for setting a May date for
the vote on granting permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to
China.
"Setting a week in May for a vote is an important step forward in
getting this bill approved by Congress," Daley said in an April 5
statement.
"Over the next few weeks we will have to stay focused and continue to
convincingly make our case to the American people," he said.
"Passing permanent NTR for China will not be easy but I remain
confident that our arguments will prevail," Daley said.
Following is the text:
(begin text)
April 5, 2000
COMMERCE SECRETARY WILLIAM M. DALEY
STATEMENT FROM BEIJING ON HOUSE SPEAKER HASTERT'S
CHINA PNTR VOTE DATE ANNOUNCEMENT
Beijing, China -- I want to thank Speaker Hastert for the strong
leadership he displayed in setting a time frame for a vote on granting
China permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR). Setting a week in May
for a vote is an important step forward in getting this bill approved
by Congress. Over the next few weeks we will have to stay focused and
continue to convincingly make our case to the American people. Make no
mistake about it, passing PNTR for China will not be easy but I remain
confident that our arguments will prevail.
We must remember that this is an historic vote that will significantly
affect our economy and the future of our relations with China. But
China will enter the WTO and open its markets to foreign goods and
services regardless of how the vote goes. The question before Congress
is whether our companies, workers and farmers will benefits from
China's accession. Without PNTR we will lose out to our Asian,
European, and Latin American competitors. We cannot afford to let that
happen and I will continue to do what I can to help this bill pass.
Commerce Secretary Daley is in Beijing meeting with senior Chinese
Government officials and co- chairing the 13th session of the U.S.
-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade. Secretary Daley has
been asked by President Clinton to lead efforts to secure permanent
normal trade relations with China.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)