TNAG-2469-FCO40-3593-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1992 — Page 96

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code that is going to increase the categories of crime for the death penalty, well that would be a great worry.

Perhaps just one other comment on the death penalty if I can while I'm going. It's very difficult in Chiña for us to go along and criticise their use of the death penalty when they constantly throw back at us the fact that the United States also carries out executions for capital offences. We reply that so far as we are concerned both the United States and China are guilty of outrageous violations of human rights for doing that. But it certainly undermines the ability of the west to talk to China about fundamental human rights when the United States is also executing prisoners.

Question:

President elect Clinton has advocated on a number of occasions that he would tie trade issues to human rights, is that an argument you are going to be taking back with you to Australia?

Senator Schacht: We raised it with the Chinese in discussions that, what was their response to Mr Clinton's election and his statement about conditionality on MFN for human rights. At the very senior level, Foreign Minister Qian Qichen said, "Well, let's wait and see; an election campaign means one thing, let's wait and see what develops when Mr Clinton takes over and I'm sure we can have discussions," At other levels I think it is certainly a worry to them about their economic development. It did strike me that this may be the point that the most pressure can be put on from other countries, they are absolutely desperate for the economic development to continue. Anything that could affect the economic development of the country, the improvement of the country, worries them greatly, so therefore any country, not just America, putting pressure on them about tying human rights to economic arrangements would worry their officials. And my own view is that and I must say this is a personal view - that I think handled properly, not as a blunt instrument, but I think handled properly in negotiations, the new Clinton administration could advance human rights in China by negotiating those conditions and raising them as a matter of importance to be discussed in negotiations, because I think the Chinese would be very worried because they have such a trade surplus with the United States and it's very, very important to them. So that would be my personal view, I don't speak on behalf of the delegation because we haven't discussed that issue. We may well make it a part of our report.

Question: Would you define what you mean by "handled properly" in that answer?

Senator Schacht: Well, "handled properly" is think it's useful to just announce tomorrow:

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