27 December 2001
Text: Bush Grants Permanent Normal Trade Relations Status to China
(Move is final step in normalizing US-China trade relations) (730)
President Bush signed a proclamation December 27 granting permanent
normal trading relations (PNTR) status to the People's Republic of
China, terminating the annual Jackson-Vanik trade certification
process for China.
A White House statement accompanying the proclamation called the move
"the final step in normalizing U.S.-China trade relations and
welcoming China into a global, rules-based trading system."
The change will take effect January 1, 2002.
Following are the texts of the White House statement and the
presidential proclamation:
(begin statement text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Crawford, Texas)
December 27, 2001
STATEMENT BY THE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY
President Bush Grants Permanent Normal Trade Relations Status to China
Today the President signed a proclamation granting permanent normal
trading relations (PNTR) status to the People's Republic of China and
terminating application of Jackson-Vanik provisions to China. Taking
effect January 1, 2002, this is the final step in normalizing
U.S.-China trade relations and welcoming China into a global,
rules-based trading system. It marks the completion of more than a
decade of bilateral and multilateral negotiations, and the beginning
of a process of working constructively with China to help it fully
implement its commitments on trade liberalization.
Congress authorized these actions subject to the President's
certification that the final terms of entry for China into the WTO
were at least equivalent to those agreed to bilaterally between the
United States and China in 1999, and China's successful entry into the
WTO. The President certified the equivalency of the final terms on
November 9, 2001; China formally became a WTO member on December 11,
2001.
(end statement text)
(begin proclamation text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
December 27, 2001
TO EXTEND NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT (NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS
TREATMENT) TO THE PRODUCTS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
1. The United States and the People's Republic of China (China) opened
trade relations in 1980. Since that time, the products of China have
received nondiscriminatory treatment pursuant to annual waivers of the
requirements of section 402 of the Trade Act of 1974 (the "Trade Act")
(19 U.S.C. 2432). Trade between the United States and China has
expanded significantly even though China has maintained restrictions
on market access for U.S. exports and investment.
2. On November 15, 1999, the United States and China agreed on certain
terms and conditions for China's accession to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) that when implemented will eliminate or greatly
reduce the principal barriers to trade and investment in China.
3. On November 9, 2001, pursuant to section 101(b) of Public Law
106-286, 114 Stat. 881, I transmitted a report to the Congress
certifying that the terms and conditions for the accession of China to
the WTO are at least equivalent to those agreed between the United
States and China on November 15, 1999. On November 10, 2001, the
Ministerial Conference of the WTO approved the terms and conditions
for China's accession and invited China to become a member of the WTO.
China has accepted these terms and conditions and became a WTO member
on December 11, 2001.
4. Pursuant to section 101(a)(1) of Public Law 106-286, 114 Stat. 881,
I hereby determine that chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act should
no longer apply to China.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States, including but not limited to
sections 101(a)(2) and 102(a) of Public Law 106-286, 114 Stat. 881, do
hereby proclaim that:
(1) Nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment)
shall be extended to the products of China; and
(2) The extension of nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of
China shall be effective as of January 1, 2002.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh
day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-sixth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
(end proclamation text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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