| HONG KONG - China must honour its commitment to Hong Kong, protecting
democracy and the rule of law, if it hopes to convince Taiwan the "one China"
principle can work, a US delegation said here Saturday. "If China hopes to
convince Taiwan that a one China with two separate systems can work, and to end this
dispute, they have to show that they are going to protect democracy and the rule of law in
Hong Kong," said Norm Dicks, a Washington state representative, after talks with Hong
Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (News|Chinastar|Photo|BBS)
.
Dicks is part of a US delegation led by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman that arrived
here Friday from a fact-finding trip in China to study Beijing's commitment to
market-opening agreements.
Members of the delegation said a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan situation and human
rights in the mainland were questions being considered ahead of a Congressional vote on
granting permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to China.
"My hope is that the (Chinese) goverment will cease using this rhetoric and sit
down and start negotiating and make commitments," Dicks said.
The delegation was convinced China was seeking a peaceful solution to its relations
with Taiwan following a meeting with Wang Daohan, the chairman of China's Association for
Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, Friday in Shanghai, Glickman said.
"He agreed with the delegation that the Taiwan issue should be resolved
peacefully," Glickman said.
Earlier Saturday Glickman warned if the US Congress rejected granting China PNTR it
would be taking a first step towards cutting ties with the whole of Asia.
"The president (Bill Clinton) feels very strongly that if this vote goes down, it
would be the first step for the United States to disengage from Asia in the post-Cold War
era," he said.
"It is a profoundly different China than it was 25 years ago, and that message
really isn't getting home.
"The adversaries (of the agreement) are characterising China in a way that
certainly isn't fair," he said.
The vote by the US House of Representatives on PNTR will take place in the week of May
22 and is expected to be close.
Two undecided members of the group, Gregory Meeks, a congressmen from New York, and
Texas congressman Ruben Hinojosa said the trip was "an eye-opener" and would
help them to reach a decision.
Beijing has insisted PNTR is essential to implementing open-market concessions in
exchange for US support for its bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
"America cannot sit still, or others will jump in and fill our shoes,"
Glickman said.
Congressmen in favour of granting PNTR echoed Washington's view that the US would have
more influence if it stays commercially engaged with China.
The agreement could "fuel social change for the next 50 years," said North
Dakota governor Edward Schafer.
PNTR is "one of the best agreements this administration has ever negotiated,"
added Oregon Representative Greg Walden. AFP |
