WASHINGTON, D.C.- Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), a senior member of the House International Relations Committee, told his colleagues that granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to Communist China would endanger our national security and economic well being.

 "The Communist Chinese are using their $70 billion annual trade surplus with us to modernize their military," Rohrabacher said. China recently purchased its first of four Russian-built Sovremenny-class destroyers and SS-N-22 Moskit nuclear capable missiles from Russia. These missiles were developed to destroy U.S. warships, particularly aircraft carriers.

 "We should not lock in an advantageous trade status for the brutal dictators in Beijing, who continually repress their own people, and threaten their democratic neighbors, like India and Taiwan," Rohrabacher said.

 The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on PNTR the week of May 22.