DATE=2/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=US - CHINA - WTO (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259038
BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  The Clinton administration - continuing its 
campaign for Congressional support for permanent 
normal trade relations for China - invited members of 
the American agricultural community to Washington to 
explain how China's accession to the World Trade 
Organization will benefit them.  Correspondent Deborah 
Tate reports from the White House.


Text:  Under a trade deal Washington negotiated with 
Beijing last year, US lawmakers must approve normal 
trade relations to China on a permanent basis before 
that country joins the WTO.  Currently, normal trade 
benefits - which guarantee Chinese goods the same low-
tariff access to US markets as products from nearly 
every other nation - are voted on annually.   China, 
in turn, agreed to reduce tariffs and open its markets 
to U-S goods.

But the Clinton administration is concerned that the 
collapse of the WTO talks in Seattle late last year 
may embolden free trade opponents in Congress and 
jeopardize chances the trade deal with China will be 
approved.   John Podesta is White House Chief of 
Staff.

            /// PODESTA ACTUALITY ///

      This is going to be the toughest fight we will 
      face this year on Capitol Hill.

            /// END ACT ///

What makes the issue especially problematic for the 
administration is that much of the opposition comes 
from lawmakers of President Clinton's own Democratic 
party and their labor union allies, who believe freer 
trade will lead to an erosion of labor and 
environmental standards.   Other opponents are 
reluctant to expand trade with China because of 
Beijing's questionable human rights record.

Administration officials counter those arguments, 
saying there can be safeguards established to protect 
workers' rights and the environment, and that 
furthering trade with China can lead to an improvement 
in human rights there.

On Thursday the administration sought the help of 
American farmers and agricultural producers in making 
its case to Congress.

US Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says more trade 
with China would be a boon to struggling US farmers.

            /// GLICKMAN ACTUALITY ///

      The farm economy is very weak, and while not 
      every commodity is doing poorly, most are not up 
      to par.  Most are seeing prices at lower 
      levels than we have seen in a very long time, 
      and it is just a fact of life that agriculture 
      needs the boost that access to the largest 
      market in the world can give them.


            /// END ACT ///

US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky says under 
the trade deal, which she helped negotiate, China 
would cut tariffs and open its markets to US products 
ranging from corn, wheat and rice to pork, beef and 
poultry.

            /// BARSHEFSKY ACTUALITY ///

      China is going to cut agriculture tariffs by 
      more than half on our priority products, and 
      this will put China's tariffs below the tariffs 
      of a number of industrialized countries.  
      Second, China will end its system of 
      discriminatory licensing and import bans on bulk 
      commodities.

            /// END ACT ///

That is especially good news to John Harden, President 
of the American Pork Council:

            /// HARDEN ACTUALITY ///

      We recognize that the China - WTO deal does not 
      guarantee us sales, but we do view it as a 
      monumental opportunity.  Why?  Because China 
      consumes more pork than any country in the 
      world, and Chinese pork consumption continues to 
      grow.

            /// END ACT ///

Administration officials say winning Congressional 
approval of the China trade matter will depend largely 
on farm and business interests pressing the issue with 
individual members of Congress.  (Signed)


NEB/DAT/TVM/PT



10-Feb-2000 19:47 PM EDT (11-Feb-2000 0047 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.