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OF 01011OZ JUNE 91
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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR
US/CHINA: MFN: CONGRESSIONAL REACTION
SUMMARY
1.
LITTLE SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT'S POSITION AT FIRST CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON MFN. FOCUS, INSTEAD, ON POSSIBLE CONDITIONS FOR RENEWAL. HONG KONG ANGLE RAISED.
DETAIL
2.
AT THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON MN ON 29 MAY THERE WERE FEW SUPPORTERS OF THE PRESIDENT'S ARGUMENT FOR UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL. THE MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS PRESENT SUPPORTED EITHER REVOCATION OR EXTENSION WITH CONDITIONS. ONE REPUBLICAN SUPPORTED REVOCATION, AND THREE REPUBLICANS SUPPORTED EXTENSION WITH CONDITIONS. ONLY TWO REPUBLICANS DEFENDED THE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST FOR UNCONDITIONAL EXTENSION, ALTHOUGH ONE (LEACH) LATER CONCEDED THAT MODEST HUMAN RIGHTS CONDITIONS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
3. OPPONENTS OF THE PRESIDENT'S POSITION WERE SCEPTICAL OF THE PRESIDENT'S ARGUMENT THAT GRANTING MFN WOULD HELP BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN CHINA. GEDENSON (D-CONNECTICUT) DESCRIBED THIS A QUOTE ORWELLIAN TWIST OF LOGIC UNQUOTE. OTHERS ARGUED THAT THE CONGRESS HAD GIVEN CHINA THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, WITHOUT RESULTS. MANY EXPRESSED CONSIDERABLE CONCERN ABOUT CONTINUED ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA, IN PARTICULAR THE HARASSMENT OF PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADERS, THE SUPPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS PRACTICES AND THE USE OF PRISON LABOUR.
4.
THE CHAIRMAN (SOLARZ), FOCUSSED DISCUSSION ON THE TYPE OF CONDITIONS WHICH MIGHT BE ATTACHED TO MFN. HE ARGUED THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF USING LEVERAGE AGAINST THE CHINESE WOULD BE TO THREATEN TO WITHHOLD MFN, RATHER THAN TO REVOKE IT IMMEDIATELY. PELOSI (D-CALIFORNIA) THOUGHT THE CONDITIONS SHOULD INCLUDE REMOVING RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND VOA BROADCASTS, ENDING HARASSMENT OF CHINESE CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATES, ALLOWING HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP TO MONITOR TRIALS, ENSURING FREEDOM
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