[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 70 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1105] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE U.S.-CHINA COMPETITIVENESS AGENDA OF 2009 ______ HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK of illinois in the house of representatives Thursday, May 7, 2009 Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, today I am proud to join my good friend, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen), in unveiling the bipartisan U.S.-China Competitiveness Agenda of 2009. This agenda includes four legislative priorities to expand America's influence in China and increase American competitiveness in the global marketplace. As co-chairs of the bipartisan House U.S.-China Working Group, we are working in Congress to elevate the sophistication of our debate on U.S.-China issues. The U.S.-China Competitiveness Agenda provides Congress with a constructive legislative package to expand U.S. engagement with China while supporting key domestic and foreign policy objectives. Along with two other Working Group members, Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-Calif.) and Congressman Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), we are introducing bipartisan legislation to expand America's diplomatic infrastructure in China, boost support to small- and medium-sized businesses exporting to the China market, increase funds for domestic Chinese language instruction and build new cooperative energy ties between the U.S. and China. The U.S. has one embassy and five consulates in China, leaving more than 200 cities with a population greater than one million people with little to no American representation. Additionally, while 60 percent of U.S. exports go to the Asia-Pacific market, the U.S. contributes 100 times more dollars to Europe's Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development than to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum. My legislation, the U.S.-China Diplomatic Expansion Act of 2009, authorizes the construction of a new consulate in Fuzhou and 10 smaller diplomatic posts in cities with more than a million people. The bill triples funding for public diplomacy, boosts funding for a range of language, student and teacher exchange programs, increases funding for rule of law initiatives and more than triples the U.S. contribution to Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. If we are serious about expanding export promotion services, defending intellectual property rights, improving consumer product safety and enhancing economic competitiveness, we need a diplomatic infrastructure in China that reflects those priorities. I am proud to co-sponsor three other bipartisan bills in the U.S.- China Competitiveness Agenda, including Mr. Larsen's U.S.-China Market Engagement and Export Promotion Act of 2009, Ms. Davis's U.S.-Chinese Language Engagement Act of 2009 and Mr. Israel's U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Act of 2009. Mr. Larsen's bill would help states establish export promotion offices in China and create a new China Market Advocate program at U.S. Export Assistance Centers around the nation. The bill provides assistance to small businesses for China trade missions and authorizes grants for Chinese business education programs. I strongly support the U.S.-China Market Engagement and Export Promotion Act because we need innovative programs that support our small business exports and arm them with the tools they need to succeed in China. Roughly 200 million students are learning English in China today. By contrast, only about 50,000 primary and secondary school students study Chinese in America. Ms. Davis's bill increases Chinese cultural studies and language acquisition for elementary, high school and college-age students. Grants would be available to fund university joint venture programs, virtual cultural exchanges with Chinese schools and intensive summer language instruction programs. We have more than just a trade deficit with China--we also have a knowledge deficit. That is why I strongly support the U.S.-Chinese Language Engagement Act. We need additional funding for domestic Chinese language programs, educational exchanges and Chinese teacher exchanges to fix this knowledge imbalance. To create green jobs in America and fight global climate change, we must expand energy cooperation between the U.S. and China. Mr. Israel's bill authorizes new grants to fund U.S.-China energy and climate change education programs, along with joint research and development of carbon capture, sequestration technology, improved energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources. In my view, China's connections to unstable energy markets like Iran, Sudan and Venezuela could set a foreign policy collision course with the United States. I strongly support the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Act. To protect our environment and avoid future conflict, we need creative programs to boost U.S.-China energy cooperation. I want to thank my colleagues for their hard work on this bipartisan agenda. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor all four bills and move quickly to enact this legislation into law. ____________________