DISAPPROVING EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT TO PRODUCTS OF PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 30, 1999)

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SPEECH OF HON. MARK GREEN OF WISCONSIN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1999

Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I am reluctantly voting today to affirm the Administration's renewal of Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status with the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the coming year. At the same time, I also want to reaffirm my current opposition to the extension of permanent NTR status to China. I strongly believe the United States should preserve the annual option of suspending NTR open as a potential instrument of policy, and trust China is aware that it continues to edge ever closer to a suspension of its NTR status with the United States.

I hold grave reservations over current U.S.-China relations. Among other things, the PRC's theft of U.S. nuclear and computer technology secrets, its continued opposition to U.S. policies abroad, and its long-term history of human rights violations all raise serious concerns. I have already taken public steps this session to toughen U.S. policy on the PRC by speaking out against religious persecution in China on the House floor, voting to limit satellite exports to China, voting to prohibit military-to-military exchanges with the People's Liberation Army, and implementing the recommendations of the Cox Report.

Nevertheless, as someone who represents a state where the agricultural sector is vitally important to both our culture and our economy, I believe the expansion of markets within China for agricultural products is crucial. Our farmers face a crisis today. Commodity prices are at extraordinarily low levels as demand continues to lag behind supply worldwide. At the same time, Congress is encouraging our farmers to rely more and more on market forces, and less and less on old-style bureaucratic programs. A huge part of these market forces is dependent upon growth in our farm exports. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that 37 percent of the growth in our nation's farm exports could go to China by 2003. In other words, to restrict trade by suspending China's NTR status would take a key market away from our struggling farmers at an unfortunate time, likely driving agriculture prices even lower.

In recent months, the U.S. Trade Representative has negotiated conditional agreements with China that would, among other things, dramatically reduce Chinese tariffs on U.S. cheese and ice cream exports. If NTR fails, these agreements are finished--giving Wisconsin farmers bad news at a time when bad news seems to be the order of the day.

This has been a tough decision, one I have weighed for some time. There are valid and persuasive arguments on both sides of the NTR debate, and I can truly say this has been one of the most difficult issues I have faced since taking office. In the end, however, the issue's potential impact on agriculture tipped the scales in favor of renewing China's NTR status for another year.
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