DATE=9/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SENATE-CHINA TRADE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-266230
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-S Senate is moving closer to granting
permanent normal trade relations [P-N-T-R] to China,
though some lawmakers say the plan should also protect
human rights. V-O-A's David Swan reports on the
latest (Thursday's) developments.
TEXT: Senators overwhelmingly voted (92 to five) to
proceed with debate on the bill, with final action
expected sometime next week. The Senate then turned
back (69 to 28) the first of several proposed
amendments, this one designed to advance religious
freedom in China.
The vote against the amendment is a hopeful sign for
P-N-T-R supporters. They say any change in the bill
would effectively kill it because it would send the
issue back to the House of Representatives, where it
might fail in the heat of election-year politics.
That argument came under fire from Democratic Senator
Paul Wellstone, who sponsored the religious freedom
proposal. Mr. Wellstone says the Senate has a duty to
speak out for persecuted Christians, Muslims and
Tibetans.
/// Wellstone Act ///
This amendment is not a China-bashing amendment.
This amendment goes to the very heart of what we
say we're about as a country and what we say
we're about as a Senate.
/// End Act ///
But Republican Chuck Hagel called the measure
misguided. He says expanding trade with China will
boost living standards and improve personal freedom.
Mr. Hagel denies the Senate is ignoring human rights
abuses.
/// Hagel Act ///
We are not looking the other way. We are
finding a course that some of us believe is the
correct course to influence the behavior of
China.
/// End Act ///
There are more amendments to deal with, including one
that could punish Beijing for selling weapons of mass
destruction to other countries. The bill's supporters
fear that idea may be hard to defeat.
Normalizing trade relations would help clear the way
for China to join the World Trade Organization and
open the lucrative Chinese market to American
business. President Clinton hopes to sign the
landmark bill into law before leaving office.
(Signed)
NEB/DS/JP
07-Sep-2000 13:30 PM LOC (07-Sep-2000 1730 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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