DATE=1/19/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S - CHINA - W-T-O (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258221
BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:   President Clinton met with his cabinet 
Wednesday to plot strategy for winning Congressional 
support for China's entry into the World Trade 
Organization.  The effort is being led by Commerce 
Secretary William Daley - who acknowledges the task 
will not be easy.  Correspondent Deborah Tate reports 
from the White House.

Text:  Before China gains membership in the W-T-O, the 
U-S Congress must extend normal trade benefits to 
China on a permanent basis.

But many lawmakers - particularly those in Mr. 
Clinton's own Democratic party along with their 
influential labor union supporters - are reluctant to 
support freer trade, fearing it would lead to an 
erosion of labor standards and environmental 
protection.

Those were the same concerns expressed by protesters 
who disrupted the W-T-O meeting in Seattle last month.  
Administration officials are worried that the collapse 
of those talks may embolden free trade opponents and 
jeopardize congressional approval of China's 
membership in the world trade body.

Secretary Daley argues that having the world's most 
populous nation enter the W-T-O is in America's 
interests because it will create U-S jobs.  He says 
the administration will make a concerted effort to 
reach out to unions, and will wage an all-out campaign 
for lawmakers' support.

            /// FIRST DALEY ACTUALITY ///

      We are going to have the entire cabinet, the 
      entire administration engaged on the (Capitol) 
      Hill, talking to members, talking to non-
      governmental organizations, trying to get the 
      business and agriculture communities very 
      engaged, as I think they will be, and to sell 
      the deal.

            /// END ACT ///

Speaking to reporters following the cabinet meeting, 
Mr. Daley also responded to some lawmakers' concerns 
about expanding trade with China in light of Beijing's 
questionable human rights record.

            /// SECOND DALEY ACTUALITY //

      This is not about rewarding anyone for human 
      rights violations, or not moving forward.  We 
      will continue to highlight the need for human 
      rights changes in China, and other changes - 
      which are occurring.  But are they occurring as 
      some people want?  No.  But this is not a 
      carrot-and-stick situation, and I do not think 
      you can turn it into that.  You cannot make one 
      dependent on the other.

            /// END ACT ///

Mr. Daley reiterated the administration position that 
increased trade can help bring about change in China.

Under a deal Washington reached with Beijing in 
November, U-S lawmakers are to extend permanent normal 
trade status to China - which, in return, has agreed 
to cut tariffs and open its markets to American goods.    
Currently, normal trade benefits - which guarantee 
Chinese goods the same low-tariff access to U-S 
markets as products from nearly every other nation - 
must be approved by Congress annually.

The Commerce Secretary says he hopes Congress will 
vote on the issue early in the year - saying chances 
for passage diminish as the November general elections 
approach and the issue gets bogged down in partisan 
politics.   (Signed)

NEB/DAT/LTD/gm



19-Jan-2000 15:04 PM EDT (19-Jan-2000 2004 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.