(WASHINGTON, DC)-More than two dozen leading chief executives took to Capitol Hill on April 5 to meet with members of Congress to urge support for Permanent Normal Trading Relations (PNTR) status for China. The CEOs are in town for meetings of The Business Roundtable, which is leading the business community's effort in support of PNTR.

"Permanent Normal Trading Relations status for China presents the United States with an unparalleled and historic opportunity," said Philip M. Condit, Chairman, BRT Task Force on International Trade and Investment. "With 1.3 billion people, China is the world's largest emerging marketplace. If Congress fails to pass PNTR, American companies will lose this huge market to our foreign competitors." Condit is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Boeing Company.

In today's meetings, CEOs representing a wide variety of industries - from manufacturing to hi-tech, agriculture to chemicals - and representing companies such as General Motors, Sun Microsystems, Caterpillar, Texas Instruments, New York Life and Eastman Kodak, met with key Republican and Democratic leaders and undecided members of the House and Senate. A vote is expected by the end of May on whether to grant PNTR to China and thereby allow the United States to reap the benefits of the trade deal negotiated with China last fall.

"We are taking no votes for granted in this fight. U.S. companies are on the front lines of trade with China, and we know that continuing to open foreign markets to U.S. goods is an important driver of our economic growth - boosting our exports, creating jobs, and increasing our prosperity," Condit added. "It will also help to make the world a safer place by choosing engagement over isolation. By engaging China commercially the Chinese will be exposed not only to democratic ideals and values, but Western environmental and fair labor standards."

The BRT is supporting passage of PNTR in Washington and nationally through its goTRADE organization. The goTRADE initiative is a national grassroots trade education campaign that has mobilized thousands of individuals and businesses across America to call on Congress to pass PNTR. For more information visit www.brt.org and http://www.gotrade.com/.