WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1993
QUESTION: SENATOR MITCHELL, WHEN HE WAS INTRODUCING THIS LEGISLATION SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, SAID HIMSELF THAT HE HOPED THAT IT WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY, IMPLYING POSSIBLY THAT JUST BY PUTTING THIS LEGISLATION ON THE TABLE THERE MIGHT BE ENOUGH PRESSURE TO ACHIEVE SOME OF THE U.S. OBJECTIVES VIS-A-VIS CHINA. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A PRODUCTIVE APPROACH TO ACCOMPLISHING THOSE OBJECTIVES, OR DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO PUT THE MFN LEGISLATION OUT FOR CONSIDERATION?
GOVERNOR: I DON'T THINK THAT THE LEGISLATIVE ROUTE IS A PARTICULARLY SENSIBLE ONE. AND I VERY MUCH AGREED WITH I'M SORRY TO ADVERTISE IT AGAIN. AS IF IT NEEDED IT. I VERY MUCH AGREED WITH THE LEADER IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL LAST FRIDAY WHICH INDICATED SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES IN THE LEGISLATIVE APPROACH TAKEN IN THOSE TWO BILLS, SENATOR MITCHELL'S BILL AND REPRESENTATIVE PELOSI'S BILL.
SO I HAVE PARTICULAR VIEWS ABOUT THE LEGISLATION. I ALSO DON'T THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL FOR ME TO MAKE COMMENTS ON WHAT CHINA'S REACTION MAY BE TO A PARTICULAR APPROACH TAKEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION OR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT CONCEIVABLY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS OF POLICY OR INITIATIVES BY THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP LESS LIKELY RATHER THAN MORE LIKELY.
I THINK THAT THERE IS A BODY OF OPINION THAT.
BODY OF OPINION THAT. LIKE POLITICAL LEADERS ELSEWHERE, THOSE IN CHINA LIKE TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE TAKING THE INITIATIVE RATHER THAN REACTING. AND THAT CONDITIONS. I THINK, ALL OUR DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY.
FRANCIS.
MR MORIARTY: GOVERNOR, PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS SAID THAT HE CONSIDERS THE SPREAD OF DEMOCRACY TO BE AN INVESTMENT IN AMERICA'S FUTURE, AND HE IS SAID TO BE OUTLINING A WHOLE RANGE OF WAYS OF GOING ABOUT DOING THAT AT A GRASSROOTS LEVEL: USAID, VOICE OF AMERICA, ET CETERA. DO YOU FEEL HAVE YOU SAID TO HIM AND. IF ASKED, WOULD YOU SAY TO HIM THAT HONG KONG WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE FOR AMERICA TO MAKE SUCH AN INVESTMENT?
——
GOVERNOR: I WOULDN'T SUGGEST THAT HONG KONG WAS THE BEST PLACE TO START SINCE WE'RE DOING RATHER A LOT OURSELVES AT THE MOMENT. FIRST OF ALL. IT'S AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID TO ME AND TO YOU ON MONDAY, IT'S SCARCELY SURPRISING TO DISCOVER THAT THE UNITED STATES IS IN FAVOUR OF DEMOCRACY. IT IS. AFTER ALL. ONE OF THE GREATEST DEMOCRACIES IN THE WORLD. AND AS HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY THE CASE OVER DECADES, AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY IS INFUSED WITH A SENSE OF VALUES. AND THOSE INCLUDE THE VALUES OF AN OPEN SOCIETY.
I THINK
SPEAKING AS CHRIS PATTEN RATHER THAN THE 28TH BRITISH GOVERNOR, I THINK THAT THE U.S.'s COMMITMENT TO HELP FLEDGLING DEMOCRACIES AROUND THE WORLD
I THINK THE APPOINTMENT
APPOINTMENT OF AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY, AN UNDER SECRETARY IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT WITH THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL. AND IF I WAS A POLITICIAN IN CENTRAL OR EASTERN EUROPE. FOR EXAMPLE. I WOULD WELCOME THAT ASSISTANCE.
/BUT SECONDLY,