Software Vault: The Gold Collection/Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO/cdr11/wh930527.zip/05-28G.TXT

Internet Message Format | 1993-06-01 | 8KB

From @lex-luthor.ai.mit.edu:[e-mail]  Fri May 28 18:02:18 1993
Date: Fri, 28 May 1993 17:42-0400
From: The White House <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail],
Subject: President's Statement on MFN for China

                         The White House

                  Office of the Press Secretary
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For Immediate Release                                May 28, 1993

                    Statement by the President
             On Most Favored Nation Status for China

Yesterday the American people won a tremendous victory as a
majority of the House of Representatives joined me in adopting
our plan to revitalize America's economic future.

Today, members of Congress have joined me to announce a new
chapter in United States policy toward China.

China occupies an important place in our nation's foreign policy.
It is the world's most populous state, its fastest growing major
economy, and a permanent member of the United Nations Security
Council.  Its future will do much to shape the future of Asia,
our security and trade relations in the Pacific, and a host of
global issues, from the environment to weapons proliferation.  In
short:  our relationship with China is of very great importance.

Unfortunately, over the past four years our nation spoke with a
divided voice when it came to China.  Americans were outraged by
the killing of pro-democracy demonstrators at Tiananmen square in
June of 1989.  Congress was determined to have our nation's
stance toward China reflect our outrage.

Yet twice after Congress voted to place conditions on our
favorable trade rules toward China -- so-called Most Favored
Nation status -- those conditions were vetoed.  The annual
battles between Congress and the Executive divided our foreign
policy and weakened our approach over China.

It is time that a unified American policy recognize both the
value of China and the values of America.

Starting today, the United States will speak with one voice on
China policy.  We no longer have an Executive Branch policy and a
congressional policy.  We have an American policy.

I am happy to have with me today key congressional leaders on
this issue.  I am also honored to be joined by representatives of
the business community and several distinguished Chinese student
leaders.  Their presence here is a tangible symbol of the unity
of our purpose.

I particularly want to recognize Senate Majority Leader George
Mitchell of Maine and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California.
Their tireless dedication to the cause of freedom in China has
given voice to our collective concerns.  I intend to continue
working closely with Congress as we pursue our China policy.


We are here today because the American people continue to harbor
profound concerns about a range of practices by China's communist
leaders.  We are concerned that many activists and pro-democracy
leaders, including some from Tiananmen Square, continue to
languish behind prison bars in China for no crime other than
exercising their consciences.  We are concerned about
international access to their prisons.  And we are concerned by
the Dalai Lama's reports of Chinese abuses against the people and
culture of Tibet.

We must also address China's role in the proliferation of
dangerous weapons.  The Gulf War proved the danger of
irresponsible sales of technologies related to weapons of mass
destruction.  While the world is newly determined to address the
danger of such missiles, we have reason to worry that China
continues to sell them.

Finally, we have concerns about our terms of trade with China.
China runs an $18 billion trade surplus with the U.S. -- second
only to Japan.  In the face of this deficit, China continues
practices that block American goods.

I have said before that we do not want to isolate China, given
its growing importance in the global community.  China today is a
nation of nearly 1.2 billion people -- home to one of every five
people in the world.  By sheer size alone, China has an important
impact on the world's economy, environment, and politics.  The
future of China and Hong Kong is of great importance to the
region and to the people of America.

We take some encouragement from the economic reforms in China --
reforms that by some measures place China's economy as the third
largest in the world, after the United States and Japan.  China's
coastal provinces are an engine for reform throughout the
country.  The residents of Shanghai and Guangzhou are far more
motivated by markets than by Marx or Mao.

We are hopeful that China's process of development and economic
reform will be accompanied by greater political freedom.  In some
ways, this process has begun.  An emerging Chinese middle class
points the antennae of new televisions towards Hong Kong to pick
up broadcasts of CNN.  Cellular phones and fax machines carry
implicit notions of freer communications.  Hong Kong itself is a
catalyst of democratic values -- and we strongly support Governor
Patten's efforts to broaden democratic rights.

The question we face today is how best to cultivate these hopeful
seeds of change in China while expressing our clear disapproval
of its repressive policies.


The core of this policy will be a resolute insistence upon
significant progress on human rights in China.  To implement this
policy, I am signing today an Executive Order that will have the
effect of extending Most Favored Nation status for China for 12
months.  Whether I extend MFN next year, however, will depend
upon whether China makes significant progress in improving its
human rights record.

The Order lays out particular areas I will examine, including
respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the
release of citizens imprisoned for the non-violent expression of
their political beliefs -- including activists imprisoned in
connection with Tiananmen Square.  The Order includes China's
protection of Tibet's religious and cultural heritage, and
compliance with the bilateral U.S.-China agreement on prison
labor.

In addition, we will use existing statutes to address our
concerns in the areas of trade and arms control.

The Order I am issuing today directs the Secretary of State and
other Administration officials to pursue resolutely all
legislative and executive actions to ensure China abides by
international standards.  I intend to put the full weight of the
Executive behind this order; I know I have Congress's support.

Let me give you an example.  The Administration is now examining
reports that China has shipped M-11 ballistic missiles to
Pakistan.  If true, such action would violate China's  commitment
to observe the guidelines and parameters of the Missile
Technology Control Regime.  Existing U.S. law provides for strict
sanctions against nations that violate these guidelines.

We have made our concerns on the M-11 issue known to the Chinese
on numerous occasions.  They understand the serious consequences
of missile transfers under U.S. sanctions law.  If we determine
that China has, in fact, transferred M-11 missiles or related
equipment in violation of its commitments, my Administration will
not hesitate to act.

My Administration is committed to supporting peaceful democratic
and pro-market reform.  I believe we will yet see these
principles prevail in China.  For in the past few years, we have
witnessed a pivot point in history, as other communist regimes
across the map have ceded to the power of democracy and markets.
We are prepared to build a more cooperative relationship with
China, and wish to work with China as an active member of the
international community.  Through some of its actions, China has
demonstrated that it wants to be a member of that community.


Membership has its privileges, but also its obligations.  We
expect China to meet basic international standards in its
treatment of its people, its sales of dangerous arms, and its
foreign trade.

With one voice, the United States Government today has outlined
these expectations.

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