DATE=5/18/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=L-A CHINA PROTEST (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262546
BYLINE=MIKE O'SULLIVAN
DATELINE=LOS ANGELES
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: As the U-S Congress prepares to vote next week
on a bill that would normalize trade relations with
China, opponents of the measure-- including trade
unions -- are rallying around the country in protest.
In Los Angeles Thursday, union officials enlisted the
help of human rights advocates in a last-minute
attempt to stop the measure's passage. V-O-A's Mike
O'Sullivan has details.
TEXT: For the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor,
which represents 800-thousand local workers, the main
issue is jobs. A garment-industry worker named Emilio
Baca said he and 400 others lost their jobs at a
clothing plant because of cheap imports from China.
/// BACA SPANISH ACT FADES UNDER ///
The Los Angeles Labor Federation's Miguel Contreras
says the condition of workers in China is another
argument against normal trade relations.
/// CONTRERAS ACT ///
If we do nothing to pressure China, if we just reward
them for what's going on in that country, we've seen
what happened in T'ien-an-Men Square, we've seen
what's going on with labor activists there, with human
rights activists there. We think that this accord
should be used to pressure China to live up to a
higher standard.
/// END ACT ///
The Los Angeles community of Tibetan exiles also came
to protest the pending legislation.
They brought a visiting Buddhist nun to describe the
Chinese presence in Tibet. In 1959, Chinese forces
invaded Tibet and drove out the country's leader, the
Dalai Lama. Ani Pachen (AH-nee pah-CHEN) later spent
24 years in a Chinese prison because of her demands
for Tibetan autonomy.
/// PACHEN TIBETAN ACT FADES UNDER ///
The Buddhist nun accuses China of trying to destroy
Tibetan culture.
Some prominent Chinese dissidents are calling for
economic engagement with China. The Hong Kong
opposition leader Martin Lee, for example, supports
the U-S bill to normalize trade relations, saying
economic reform in China will lead to political
changes.
Human rights activist Harry Wu rejects that idea. He
told the Los Angeles labor gathering that U-S trade
with China helps American businessmen, U-S
corporations, and Chinese communist officials.
/// WU ACT ///
And also it will partially benefit the common
Chinese. But most of the profit from the trade
and foreign investment is going to go to the
Chinese government.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Wu says a stronger Chinese government means more
oppression for China's people.
/// REST OPT ///
This coalition of groups opposed to normalized trade
with China is fighting a difficult battle. The
Clinton administration is pushing hard for the bill's
passage, and the top presidential contenders --
Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush -- both
support the measure.
Next week, the Los Angeles Labor Federation will send
a delegation to Washington to try to sway
congressional members from this part of the country.
(Signed)
NEB/mo/gm
18-May-2000 18:24 PM EDT (18-May-2000 2224 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
