House Approves Normal Trade Status For China (6/24/97)
Congress Prepares To Vote On China Trade (6/23/97)
China Critics Offer Alternative Legislation (6/23/97)
Don't Appease China
By Rep. Gerald Solomon
Withdrawing MFN Won't Change China
By Robert Manning and Steven Nider
President Bill Clinton has announced that most-favored-nation trade status for China will be extended for another year. Some in Congress say the policy ignores China's human rights abuses. Should lawmakers revoke normal trade status for China?
Withdrawing MFN Won't Change ChinaBy Robert A. Manning and Steven J. Nider President Clinton's decision to renew China's most-favored nation (MFN) trade status for another year launches the annual spring referendum on China, one already more acrimonious than usual. The debate occurs in a hothouse climate fueled by allegations of Chinese influence-buying in the 1996 election campaign, apprehension about the July reversion of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty, and an array of single issue concerns from religious persecution to arms exports galvanizing a new left-right anti-China coalition against MFN. |
Don't Appease ChinaBy Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon In the field of international relations, one would think that government officials would rely more on hard evidence than on theory when setting policy. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Take our policy toward China. It relies solely on theory -- the theory of engagement, i.e., that increased trade and contact will modify the behavior of the communist regime regarding human rights, trade and foreign policy. A bipartisan consensus in both the executive and legislative branches has succeeded in basing U.S. China policy on this theory, despite overwhelming evidence that the theory is not bearing out in reality. |
This edition of Counterpoint was posted June 23, 1997. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of AllPolitics.