Justice

As Tight Vote Nears on China Trade, Backers and Foes Flood TV

Washington Post/ By Charles Babington, Washington Post Staff Writer / Monday, May 22, 2000 With Congress scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to grant permanent normal trading relations to China, both camps yesterday flooded television talk shows with advocates and paid commercials, and President Clinton called the pact essential on moral, economic and national security grounds.

Nothing Normal About China

Boston Globe / By Jeff Jacoby, Globe Columnist / 5/22/2000 It will be time to upgrade China's trade status with the United States when the Chinese government stops torturing middle-aged widows to death.

The Biggest Vote

The New York Times / ESSAY / By WILLIAM SAFIRE WASHINGTON -- The most far-reaching vote any representative will cast this year will take place next week. It will be on the bill to permanently guarantee that Congress will have no economic leverage to restrain China's internal repression of dissidents or external aggression against Taiwan.

Trade Rights Usurp Human Rights

Sydney Morning Herald / By GAY ALCORN, Herald Correspondent in Washington A day after a White House power rally of presidents and former presidents urged that China be embraced into the world trading system, Harry Wu held up a Nike shoe and said: "Don't lie to me."

Fact Is, Vote Will Not Change China

USA Today / By Walter Shapiro A Republican colleague stopped by John Kasich's table in the House dining room during lunch Wednesday to ask, "What are you doing about this China thing?" That is the question of the hour on Capitol Hill. A bitterly divided House is less than two weeks from a momentous vote on whether to grant China permanent normal trade relations (PNTR).