DATE=5/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON - CHINA TRADE (L)
NUMBER=2-261915
BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: President Clinton Tuesday night met with Hong
Kong Democratic Party leader Martin Lee as the
president stepped up his campaign to win congressional
approval for permanent normal trade relations for
China. He also invited another group of undecided
members of the House of Representatives to the White
House to personally make his case to them.
Correspondent Deborah Tate reports.
TEXT: White House aides say Mr. Clinton sought the
meeting with Martin Lee, leader of the political
opposition in Hong Kong, to show that those who
support reform in China also support permanent normal
trade relations with Beijing.
A vote on extending normal trade ties to China
permanently is scheduled in the U-S House of
Representatives in three weeks. But many congressmen
in Mr. Clinton's own Democratic party are reluctant to
back the trade pact, fearing it would lead to an
erosion of labor and environmental standards.
Democratic Congressman Sherrod Brown of Ohio is vowing
to fight the measure.
/// BROWN ACTUALITY ///
This is a very bad idea. Let me count the ways.
First, China is a nation that practices slave
labor, child labor. Why should we give trade
advantages to a nation that engages in that kind
of behavior with no oversight from us, with no
check on Chinese behavior?
/// END ACT ///
Congressman Brown also raised concerns about China's
human rights record and its threats to use force
against Taiwan as further reasons not to back the
legislation.
But Hong Kong's Martin Lee, speaking to reporters as
he arrived at the White House, argued that freer trade
with China would improve the situation there.
/// LEE ACTUALITY ///
We have come to support it, principally for the
reason of human rights and the rule of law for
China.
/// END ACT ///
It is a view shared by President Clinton, who - in a
speech earlier in the day - warned that U-S interests
would not be advanced by isolating China:
/// CLINTON ACTUALITY ///
From a national security point of view, it
would, in my view, be a very, very unwise and
precarious move to say that the United States
does not care whether they are a part of the
world community or not. You do not have to
agree with another country on everything to say
you prefer to trade with them.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Clinton is waging an all-out campaign to win
Congressional approval for the U-S Chinese trade
accord that will pave the way toward China's
membership in the World Trade Organization
He and other supporters won a key swing vote Tuesday
from Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland,
the highest-ranking House Democrat to back the
measure. Congressman Hoyer said in a speech that
despite human rights and other concerns about China,
the United States cannot ignore or attempt to isolate
the most populous nation on earth.
Administration and Congressional sources believe Mr.
Clinton will prevail in the House vote scheduled for
the week of May 22nd. But the White House is not
taking anything for granted.
/// REST OPT ///
Late Tuesday, Mr. Clinton met with a group of House
members who have yet to decide how they will vote on
the U-S China trade measure.
Meanwhile, U-S National Security Advisor Sandy Berger
took the administration's campaign to New York. In a
speech at Columbia University, Mr. Berger warned of
the risks of rejecting so-called PNTR. He argued it
would hurt the forces of reform in China, would
increase tensions and instability between China and
Taiwan, and deflate hopes for a more constructive
relationship between Washington and Beijing. In his
words, rejecting PNTR would be the worst possible blow
to the best possible hope the United States has had in
more than 30 years to encourage positive change in
China. (Signed)
NEB/DAT/TVM/gm
02-May-2000 19:24 PM EDT (02-May-2000 2324 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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