CONFIDENTIAL
Issue
Objective/explanation
7
Present status/progress
China
interest*
UK
interest*
Secretary for Trade and Industry (Cont'd)
Renewal of Most Favoured Nation
(MFN) status for
China (Cont'd)
seeking withdrawal of MFN treatment for China.
procedures in town to beat congressional adjournment in early October. In this connection, the Custom & Trade Act of 1990 (signed by President Bush on 20 August 1990) provides for a fast track procedure by means of joint resolution
(by a 2/3 majority) by the Congress. For 1990, a special transitional arrangement is in place whereby Congress will have 60 days from the day the Act was enacted (i.e. until 20 October 1990) to enact a joint resolution
disapproving the China waiver. On 5 September, two Congressmen introduced
resolutions disapproving of the President's extension of MFN to China. This notwithstanding, the latest assessment indicated that at this stage there is unlikely to be any incentive for Congress to take the joint resolution of disapproval route.
CONFIDENTIAL
機密