DATE=2/25/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON-CHINA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259577
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  President Clinton says he thinks he can still 
win Congressional approval for the agreement giving 
China permanent U-S trade benefits -- this, despite 
China's threat this week to use force against Taiwan 
if unification talks with the island falter.  The 
threat has intensified opposition to the trade pact, 
which is a pre-condition for Chinese membership in the 
World Trade Organization.  V-O-A's David Gollust 
reports from the White House.

TEXT: Mr. Clinton is downplaying (minimizing) the 
Chinese threat as a bid to influence Taiwan's election 
next month.  And he says it would be a "terrible 
mistake" if Congress used the issue as an excuse for 
voting down the trade agreement -- and in the process 
isolating China.

China's threat earlier this week to attack Taiwan if 
it indefinitely delayed unification negotiations has 
complicated what already was a difficult task for the 
administration in persuading a skeptical Congress to 
accept permanent normal trade status for Beijing.

The president has been promoting the trade deal at 
nearly every venue in recent days.  And in an 
impromptu session with reporters here, he suggested 
the Chinese statement on Taiwan had more political 
than military significance:

            /// Clinton Act ///

      You have to see it in the context of the 
      electoral politics playing out in Taiwan, and 
      not necessarily assume that some destructive 
      action will follow -- just as I saw the 
      Taiwanese provocative comments in the context of 
      the Taiwanese elections.

            /// End Act ///

Mr. Clinton drew a parallel between Monday's Chinese 
"white paper" and statements last year by Taiwan's 
President Lee Teng-Hui, who infuriated Beijing by 
saying it should deal with Taiwan on an equal state-
to-state basis.

He cautioned both parties not to abandon a course of 
dialogue and restraint he said has served them well 
for 20 years.

The president also reiterated his view that the terms 
of the trade agreement disproportionately favor the 
United States, and will be recognized as such in the 
future:

            /// Clinton Act ///

      I believe that if we do not do this, our country 
      will be regretting this five, ten, 15, or 20 
      years from now, (and) we'll be shaking our heads 
      and saying: what in the world got a hold of our 
      judgement in the year 2000?  If we do it, 10 
      years from now we will marvel that it was even a 
      hard debate.

            /// End Act ///

The president's remarks notwithstanding, some members 
of Congress believe the trade deal -- which is 
especially unpopular among members of Mr. Clinton's 
own Democratic Party -- may already be doomed to 
defeat.

The problems were underscored Friday when A-F-L - C-I-
O labor federation president John Sweeney and two 
other union leaders announced their resignation from a 
White House trade advisory panel to protest the 
agreement.

They say corporate interests favoring the accord 
dominate the panel, and that China should be made to 
improve its record on labor standards and human rights 
before it is allowed to join the W-T-O.  The White 
House urged them to reconsider their decision. 
(Signed)

NEB/DAG/JP




25-Feb-2000 16:14 PM EDT (25-Feb-2000 2114 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.