[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 68 (Thursday, May 26, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: May 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
OBSERVATION OF THE FORMER SENATOR ROGER JEPSON
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HON. ROBERT H. MICHEL
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 26, 1994
Mr. MICHEL. Mr. Speaker, due to an inadvertence, the following
statement by the Republican leader of the Senate, Bob Dole, was not
published in the Congressional Record for May 25.
In that the Senate has now adjourned until June 7, I ask that the
following along with an article written by former Senator Roger Jepson
appear at this point in the Record.
Statement of Senator Bob Dole
I commend to my colleagues an article written by the
distinguished Republican former senator from Iowa, Senator
Roger Jepson. He recently returned from a 2\1/2\-week trip to
China, where he had the opportunity to see first-hand the
social progress and economic dynamism of China. He calls for
unconditional renewal by the U.S. of MFN for China. His
observations are timely and clear-eyed.
Senator Jepson's observations follow:
Since 1979 China has been granted the international trade
status of Most Favored Nation [MFN] by the United States.
Early in 1994 proponents of MFN and human rights advocates
opposing the renewal of MFN increased their activities in
what has been since 1989 an annual battle over MFN-China. In
the past four months much has been written; public hearings
in and out of Congress have been held; delegations from
China, spreading good will and sizable purchase of U.S.
products, have appeared in the halls of Congress; U.S. State
Department personnel have darted in and out of China
gathering information for the ``report'' to the President.
High stakes--human and economic--exist as President Clinton
moves toward his June 3rd decision whether to renew MFN-
China.
During my recent 17 day fact-finding trip to China, I
observed a number of things that were surprising to me. I saw
people riding to work on their bicycles while talking on
mobile pocket telephones--much like we see in the United
States. On two successive Sundays I attended church services
unannounced and found over two thousand people at each
service, worshipping, openly reading Bibles and participating
in Bible study classes taught via video on television screens
after the services. Whether traveling by train or airplane
between cities within China, it was always the same. Large
numbers of people were moving about from one city to another.
They were standing in line for tickets and all seats were
filled. Small business entrepreneurs by the thousands lined
the streets as they sold their wares and cooked their version
of fast food. It was one continual, buzzing marketplace. Why
should all this be surprising? Because not too many years ago
none of this would have been possible. Mobility was
restricted and controlled, and many items of food and
merchandise did not exist, or were available only by coupon
in the location of one's residence. These everyday examples
of improving human rights did not exist prior to 1979.
I also observed first-hand a vibrant, exploding economy . .
. special high tech parks, huge industrial development sites
staffed by informed specialists wanting to ``do business,''
international trade, telecommunications, infrastructure
development (building cranes in major cities as thick as the
quills on a porcupine's back), merchant banking, stock
exchanges, new industry, etc. The People's Republic of China,
in its on-going transformation into a ``socialist market-
based economy,'' is becoming increasingly integrated into the
regional and world economy--taking her place in the
international community. Supported by many Asian and European
countries, China is working hard to attract the ``2004''
Olympics, as well as negotiating to rejoin GATT. Many
progressive things are happening in China today; anyone who
says otherwise needs a ``reality check.''
Deng Xiaoping said, ``It makes no difference if it is a
white cat or a black cat--if it catches mice, it is a good
cat.'' However one choose to measure success, the ``free
market economy'' move in China is making progress. Economic
success fires the engine of reform that inevitably leads to
greater political liberalization and improved human rights.
To cut MFN off now, or even cut it off partially, as some are
advocating, is to blunt the very instrument currently
promoting social pluralization. To inhibit MFN with any
conditions is to endanger the progress that has been made for
human rights in recent years.
Relinquishing MFN as a tool for human rights does not mean
that the United States is abandoning its long tradition of
championing human rights, or that we should now remain
silent. Human rights abuses are worldwide; occurring in
Europe, Africa, South America, the Middle East, Asia, etc.
Instead of singling out China, we should address this serious
problem in the many international forums available to us;
including the United Nations Security Council, the UN Human
Rights Commission, the World Bank, the GATT. The West has won
the Cold War, but that is not enough. The United States
should exert human rights leadership in international
organizations--while renewing MFN for China without
conditions!
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