RESTRICTED
113725
MDTTAN 8515
AS A DEPARTURE FROM THE LONGSTANDING POLICY OF THE US
ADMINISTRATION TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHINESE POSITION THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE CHINA, AND THAT TAIWAN WAS PART OF CHINA.
8.
AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON 19 JULY SENATOR BAUCUS EXPRESSED
SATISFACTION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE ALTHOUGH HE ADMITTED HE HAD ONLY HAD A SHORT TIME TO READ IT. HE REITERATED HIS ARGUMENT THAT WITHDRAWAL OF MEN WAS NOT THE TOOL TO ADDRESS
CONCERNS ABOUT CHINA. DRAWING ON THE TEXT OF THE PRESIDENT'S
LETTER HE HIGHLIGHTED THE ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION TO REINVIGORATE ITS OPPOSITION TO MULTILATERAL LOANS TO CHINA, THE COMMITMENT TO USING SECTION 301 PROCEDURES TO OPEN CHINESE MARKETS, THE CRACKDOWN ON THE IMPORT OF GOODS PRODUCED BY SLAVE LABOUR, THE EFFORTS TO PERSUADE CHINA TO ADOPT MORE RESPONSIBLE NON-PROLIFERATION POLICIES, AND THE SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN'S APPLICATION TO JOIN THE GATT.
9. BUT ALTHOUGH BAUCUS HAS PUBLICLY DEFENDED THE LETTER, IN PRIVATE, I UNDERSTAND, HE WAS DISAPPOINTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE ON HUMAN RIGHTS. MOREOVER, ONE OF THE SIGNATORIES OF THE BAUCUS LETTER BINGAMAN HAS CALLED THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY UNSATISFACTORY AND WILL NOT SUPPORT MEN RENEWAL. THE OTHERS, HOWEVER, SEEM TO HAVE GOT ENOUGH FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO VOTE WITH THE PRESIDENT.
SIGNED S D PATTISON
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