| [LatelineNews: 2000-5-4] Washington - The Clinton administration, still
searching for the votes it needs to win congressional passage of a landmark China trade
deal, plans an unprecedented enforcement effort to ensure that Beijing lives up to the
terms of the deal, HK Standard reported. This was outlined yesterday as backers of
permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) for China won important support from a key
Democrat congressman, and as Clinton enlisted visiting Hong Kong Democratic Party chief
Martin Lee Chu-ming (News|)
in his latest lobbying effort.
The proposal includes hiring a team of trade specialists whose sole job will be to
monitor China's compliance with the agreement.
The ``rapid response compliance team'' of at least 12 trade specialists, working both
in Washington and China, would be headed by a new deputy assistant secretary for China at
the Commerce Department.
China's market-opening commitments were made to gain United States backing for its bid
to join the World Trade Organisation, but US exporters will not gain the full benefits of
the reduction in trade barriers unless Congress agrees to scrap its annual review of
China's trade relations.
The chance of this happening improved greatly yesterday when Steny Hoyner, co-chairman
of the Democratic Steering Committee, endorsed the measure.
``PNTR is in the best interests of our nation, global stability, and the nascent
democracy, labour and human rights movements in China,'' Mr Hoyner said in a speech.
The House is due to vote on the issue in the week commencing May 22, with opposition
from many Democrats, including the party's top two leaders in the chamber, clouding the
outcome.
Clinton and Lee yesterday met 20 leading Democrats, in the latest of a series of
meetings aimed at winning support for China's PNTR.
The lobbying effort stretched a scheduled half-hour meeting between Clinton, Lee and
fellow Democrat legislator Sin Chung-kai into a 90-minute marathon in the White House.
Lee conceded afterwards that he could not tell whether his arguments worked.
But National Security Council spokesman P J Crowley said: ``When Martin Lee talks,
people listen. I think he makes a very compelling case.''
Clinton had scheduled the meeting with the congressmen to follow his session with the
Hong Kong pair.
At the last moment, the president took them to a private part of the White House called
the Yellow Oval Office to join the meeting with the congressmen.
Only about 15 congressmen had planned to attend but the numbers swelled after it was
learned Lee would attend.
The White House gave Lee a welcome rarely seen for non-heads of state. Joining the
president were Commerce Secretary William Daley, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and
Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky.
During the talks, Lee stressed that as part of China's World Trade Organisation package
and the congressional decision on PNTR, Washington would have to ensure that China
faithfully complied with the obligations it promised as part of its WTO entry. ``We
impressed on the president that we must make sure there is compliance,'' Lee said.
``We certainly agree to that,'' Crowley said after the meeting.
Lee urged President Clinton to plan a second visit to China and Hong Kong _ once
Congress approves PNTR and China enters the WTO _ to consolidate the deal and make sure
that human rights are protected in China and the rule of law is protected in Hong Kong.
The party leader plans to continue his efforts today and tomorrow by meeting at least
30 lawmakers.
During his four-day visit, Lee will also meet Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,
Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights Harold Koh and other senior foreign
officials.
Earlier, Clinton and other key administration officials waged an intensive campaign to
push the PNTR vote. Clinton said the failure to approve PNTR would from a national
security point of view be a ``very, very unwise and precarious move, and raise doubts
worldwide about America's global commitment''.
National security adviser Sandy Berger said rejection would set off a downward spiral
that could disrupt stability in Asia, diminish the chance of dialogue across the Taiwan
Strait, and deflate hopes for a more constructive relationship between the US and China.
Nevertheless, Ms Barshefsky was optimistic. ``I believe most members understand the
genuinely historic nature of the vote they'll be taking, and at the end of the day, we do
believe we'll prevail,'' she said. |
