DATE=5/10/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=U-S / CHINA / PNTR - HUMAN RIGHTS
NUMBER=5-46288
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: As members of the U-S Congress consider
whether to grant China permanent normal trading
relations, they are hearing from some outspoken
opponents. At a recent debate sponsored by eight
American research institutions, advocates of human
rights, workers' rights, and environmental protection
said China does not deserve favorable trade
treatment from Washington. V-O-A correspondent
Stephanie Mann reports.
TEXT: The House of Representatives plans to vote this
month (5/23 or 24) on whether to grant China permanent
normal trade relations - called P-N-T-R. The vote is
expected to be close. If the House approves it, a
favorable Senate vote is expected soon afterward.
Until now, the United States has required an annual
review of China's trade practices and human rights
record before granting an extension of the favorable
tariff treatment. In 1994, the administration took
away the direct linkage between improvements in human
rights and continuation of trade privileges, but the
yearly decision on renewing trade privileges
continues.
U-S approval of permanent normal trade relations for
China is necessary if both countries are to benefit
from the trade regime of the World Trade Organization.
/// OPT /// If Washington does not grant P-N-T-R to
China, W-T-O rules and its dispute resolution process
will not apply to U-S / China trade. /// END OPT ///
American labor unions oppose granting P-N-T-R to China
and oppose its accession into the W-T-O. Steven
Beckman, an assistant director of the United Auto
Workers, says U-S labor takes that view because
Chinese workers who try to organize independent unions
are beaten or arrested. In addition, he says Chinese
workers receive low pay for long hours, and there are
serious concerns about health and safety of the
workplace.
Before the U-A-W can support normal trade relations
with China, Mr. Beckman says China has to demonstrate
its compliance with internationally recognized
standards for worker rights and the ability of workers
to enforce compliance through domestic laws and
regulations.
/// BECKMAN ACT ///
Since none of these was achieved, we oppose
establishing a W-T-O relationship with China and
insist on the continuation of Congress' annual
N-T-R (normal trade) review in order to exert
pressure on China to change its labor laws,
policies and practices. China's W-T-O accession
agreement makes no mention of worker rights.
/// END ACT ///
// OPT // Mr. Beckman adds that when China is a member
of the World Trade Organization, he expects it will
become an obstacle to the trade body's adopting any
rules protecting worker rights. // END OPT //
Another group that looks out for the interests of
workers and consumers says denying China permanent
normal trade relations will be better for American
trade -- and the Chinese people. Lori Wallach is
director of Global Trade Watch at the organization
Public Citizen. She believes that by denying P-N-T-R
to China, the United States would retain more leverage
in the relationship.
She says Washington would be able to threaten China
with the loss of access to U-S markets unless it
improves its human rights situation. If the United
States approves P-N-T-R for China and it becomes a
full member of the World Trade Organization, the
United States loses that leverage.
Ms. Wallach says, before 1994, when the U-S government
linked human rights improvements to favorable tariff
treatment, China's human rights situation showed
progress. She says that is no longer the case.
/// WALLACH ACT ///
Year after year, the State Department, since the
1994 de-linkage, has reported that conditions
have gotten worse. And while it is the case .
that laws have been changed, the continued
absence of the rule of law means that on a
random basis, those workers who seek to use
those laws end up jailed, with no due process,
as we see in other contexts, such as the recent
crackdowns on religious freedoms.
/// END ACT ///
But a specialist on labor issues in China, Doug
Guthrie, says China has made slow but radical changes
in the last 20 years to improve the rights and
conditions of workers. Professor Guthrie, a
sociologist at New York University, has visited many
factories in China.
He says by enacting new laws on wages, prison labor
reform and arbitration, China is building a framework
for an industrial sector based on workers' rights.
Professor Guthrie says those policy changes are driven
by China's economic engagement with the outside world.
/// GUTHRIE ACT ///
Of course, the Chinese society still has a great
distance to go in the realm of human rights, and
I'm not an apologist for this regime. But
there's no evidence that the isolation position
will help the citizens of China, and there's a
great deal of evidence that the engagement
position has been a boon for people in China and
it will continue to be.
/// END ACT ///
Professor Guthrie points out that U-S corporations
operating in China pay higher wages than local Chinese
businesses and provide better working conditions.
// OPT // Environmental advocates point to China's
failure to comply with agreements on environmental
protection. And they call on the U-S government to
incorporate environmental requirements in its trade
relations with China. A representative of the
National Wildlife Federation, Paul Joffe, says if
Congress passes P-N-T-R for China, that will decrease
the American public's confidence in their government.
// END OPT //
A visiting Hong Kong politician attended the debate on
P-N-T-R. The chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic
Party, Martin Lee, is highly critical of China for its
lack of democratic reforms and for the way Beijing
handles Hong Kong. But Mr. Lee agrees with Beijing
and Washington that China should be granted permanent
normal trading status and should join the World Trade
Organization.
Mr. Lee says such steps can be the beginning in
China's process to develop the rule of law.
/// LEE ACT ///
If we all hold China to the terms of entry, to
the terms of W-T-O arrangement, then there is
hope that China will develop the rule of law.
Now, that is only a hope. But then, what is the
contrary? If we vote NO, I don't see how things
can improve. Do we expect China to let more
prisoners free because Congress has voted No?
Do we expect China to improve the environment
because Congress has voted No, or to improve the
workers' rights because Congress has voted No?
That is my concern. There is no perfect
answer, but there is hope.
/// END ACT ///
Martin Lee says it is important for those who want to
see the rule of law firmly established in China to
give reformers like Premier Zhu Rongji the tools and
support they need. (Signed)
NEB/SMN/KL
10-May-2000 13:15 PM EDT (10-May-2000 1715 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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