Most Favored Nation Trade Status
Although the barbaric human rights abuses by the government of China are well documented, the Clinton administration has lost its voice on the issue. Heavy lobbying by US business interests fearful of lost trade (in the case of potential economic sanctions against China) has apparently had an effect on the thinking of State Department strategists who recently said they would not pursue a resolution. The significance of a resolution condemning China's barbarism would be two fold. First, China would be put on alert that the US government is watching and that human rights abuses matter enough to us that failure to curb these brutal policies may result in economic or diplomatic sanctions (their fear is loss of MFN trading partner status). Secondly, it would indicate that this administration cherishes our American heritage -- unique among the nations as a beacon of freedom and justice -- and is willing to act accordingly. Congress is willing. Both House and Senate passed resolutions encouraging State Department action on a resolution at the Geneva Convention.
The European Union signaled their lack of interest in the inhumanity of China earlier by indicating they would not be offering a condemning resolution for the second year in a row. Evidently, the Clinton administration possesses no more courage than our self-possessed European cousins -- a sad commentary on the state of ethics in the governments of the western nations. With no one decrying it, you can be sure the devastation of lives will continue.
SLT
Geneva Resolution.
The Senate considered and the House will consider legislation (S. Res. 187, H. Res. 364) that urges the Clinton administration to endorse or sponsor a resolution at the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva that would condemn China’s human rights abuses. On Thursday, March 12, the full Senate voted 95-5 to approve the resolution. The House is scheduled to vote on the measure Tuesday, March 17. During the past six human rights conventions, the U.S. took an active role in promoting a human rights resolution which denounced the Chinese government’s abuses. Such abuses include torture, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrest and detention, forced abortion and sterilization, and brutal oppression of "illegal" house churches and ethnic minorities. However, the resolution always failed when China countered with a "no action motion" to prevent the substance of the measure from being discussed. Unfortunately, once again, impending trade deals with China may trump any substantive discussion of the persecution that exists in China. The Geneva conference begins on March 16 and will continue for six weeks.
[Source: Family Research Council’s LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE, Friday, March 13, 1998]
Geneva Conference.
Although the purpose of the 54th Session of the United Nations (U.N.) Commission on Human Rights is to discuss human rights, the subject of human rights in China is nearly a censored topic. Both the House and Senate are considering non-binding resolutions urging members of the U.N. Commission to support a resolution condemning human rights violations in China. The House resolution, sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), has been approved by both the House Subcommittee on Human Rights and the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. Before the entire House of Representatives may vote on the proposal it must be passed by the House International Relations Committee. Sens. Connie Mack (R-FL) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN) introduced the Senate version, but Sens. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Rod Grams (R-MN) are attempting to block the effort. Representatives of the European Union (EU) stated their united opposition to a resolution on China. The Clinton administration has yet to state if the U.S. will offer, or even support, such a UN resolution. However, Wei Jingsheng, the Chinese political dissident who was recently released from Chinese prison after spending 18 years there, is pushing for a human rights resolution in Geneva. Wei argues the resolution is a "matter of life and death for democratic reform in China." The Geneva convention is scheduled to begin March 16. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the resolution during the week of March 9. It is unclear as to when the House vote will occur. Please call your congressman and senators and urge them to support the Geneva resolutions on China. The Capitol switchboard number for the House is 202-225-3121; for the Senate, 202-224-3121.
[Source: Family Research Council’s LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE, Friday, March 6, 1998]
Human Rights Conference.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced a House resolution (H. Res. 364) urging the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to pass a resolution condemning the human rights conditions in China. The annual UN conference, designed to focus on human rights, will convene in Geneva in March. Last year, Family Research Council and other human rights advocates urged that China's Most Favored Nation (MFN) trade status be revoked due to its abusive treatment of its citizens. However, since President Clinton "delinked" U.S. trade policy from human rights considerations, our opponents argued the place to bring up human rights concerns was at the Geneva conference. Unfortunately, most of the Western countries that have taken a strong stand in condemning China's human rights abuses may be quiet this year in an effort to gain trade deals with China. The U.S. has long taken a lead in introducing the resolution, but this year may not, according to sources in the State Department. Wei Jingsheng, who was recently released from Chinese prison for advocating democracy, has called upon the U.S. to offer the resolution. Last year, Denmark was one of the only countries to support a resolution against China's human right conditions. In response a Chinese spokesman said, "This anti-China resolution will, I think, in the end become a rock that smashes on the Danish government's head." As the Danish Foreign Minister pronounced last year, "If you cannot raise the issue of human rights in the United Nations Human Rights Council, where can you raise it?" The House members are likely to vote on the Smith measure in February. Please call your congressman and urge him or her to support Rep. Smith's Human Rights resolution. The Capitol switchboard number is 202-224-3121.
[Source: Family Research Council’s LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE, Friday, February 20, 1998]
Wei Jingsheng.
Gary Bauer and Family Research Council will host Chinese political dissident Wei Jingsheng on Friday, February 6. A small number of media and congressional members will meet with Mr. Wei to discuss his experience within the Chinese prison system. Mr. Wei was released by the Chinese government in November 1997 after spending almost 18 years in prison. His crimes were his outspoken advocacy of democracy which he called "the fifth modernization" of China. Wei is also well-known for letters he wrote to Deng Xiaoping and other Communist leaders while he was in prison. In these letters and all his writings, he always spoke candidly and eloquently about the political and religious freedoms for which his countrymen yearned. After his release, Wei came to America. Ironically, when he was interviewed by Voice of America (VOA) in December 1997, the U.S. government requested VOA to block the Chinese television broadcast of the interview. U.S. Ambassador to China James Sasser claimed the broadcast would "violate implicit assurances to China that the U.S. wouldn't seek to exploit Mr. Wei's release." The request was turned down. Interestingly, during the interview, Wei noted, "In 1994, Communist officials told me that MFN (Most Favored Nation trade status) is nearly a matter of life or death for the [Communist] Party. If it is lost the Communist Party cannot survive..." [emphasis mine] [Source: Family Research Council’s LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE, Friday, January 30, 1998]