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To: Didi who wrote (72362)	5/24/2000 6:41:00 PM
From: Didi	Respond to of 152472

Washington Post: "House Passes China Trade Bill" By Matthew Vita and Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writers Wednesday, May 24, 2000 In a major policy victory for President Clinton, the House voted today to normalize U.S. trade ties to China, opening a new chapter in Chinese-American relations and ushering in a period of accelerated economic and political change in the world's most populous country. By approving the legislation, the House agreed to end a 20-year practice in which it extended normal trading privileges to China on an annual basis. It voted instead to permanently guarantee Chinese goods the same low-tariff access to U.S. markets as products from all but a handful of rogue states. The final vote in the House was 237-197. In return, China has agreed to lower tariffs on U.S. products and take other market-opening steps in areas ranging from agriculture and autos to telecommunications under a landmark trade accord it signed with the United States last year as part of its accession to the World Trade Organization. Having reached a similar trade pact with the European Union last week, China is on schedule for entering the WTO later this year. Trade unions, environmental groups, human rights activists and other opponents of globalization ? backed by the House Democratic leadership ? waged a spirited campaign to defeat the bill, arguing it was an unnecessary reward to a communist government that continues to repress human and religious freedoms and abuse worker rights. Conservative Republican opponents of the measure cited China's bellicose posture toward Taiwan, foreign arms sales and alleged espionage in the United States. The trade bill prompted one of the most expensive and contentious lobbying battles on Capitol Hill in years. Millions of dollars and countless hours of meetings were devoted to swaying lawmakers' opinions on the proposal, with big business and agriculture lining up against organized labor and its allies. But the tone turned serious as the House debated the issue this afternoon, even as the lobbying of wavering members continued outside the chamber doors right up until the final vote was cast. Although the tenor of the speeches was businesslike, it revealed the pent-up passions of a fight that has been waged for months. "Where is the freedom of speech? Where is the freedom of assembly? Where is the freedom to organize? Where is he freedom to pray? It is not in China," declared Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a veteran of the American civil rights movement. "If we stand for human rights and civil rights in America and other places around the world, we must stand up for human rights in China," Lewis said. The bill's supporters defended the proposal as in the United States' economic and national security interest, and said increased engagement with the Beijing government through trade will lead to more democracy and economic freedom in China. "This is not a gift to the Chinese government," said Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.). "All this will do is take down the tariffs in China and open a market of 1.3 billion people to American businesses and workers." Clinton had made the issue his top legislative priority this year, seeing a China trade deal as a possible centerpiece of his presidential legacy. A senior White House aide said this morning that President Clinton "has basically cleared off his schedule" to make any last-minute phone calls needed to secure enough votes to pass PNTR. ¸ 2000 The Associated Press washingtonpost.com