Matt Salmon: “this has been a very tumultuous year, especially for our relations with China. As we go forward and have this debate yet…”

“this has been a very tumultuous year, especially for our relations with China. As we go forward and have this debate yet one more time on whether or not we should extend most-favored-nation status with China, Members, look deep inside. I have to say that those who are opposing the most-favored-nation status, people like the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Chris Smith and the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Frank Wolf, to me are heroes by every stretch of the imagination. I have watched them before I came to Congress and since I have been here, and I have been amazed at their ability to articulate passionate beliefs which they care deeply about. There are some, however, not necessarily just within this body but without, as well, who would like to have us believe that this issue is simply cut and dried, that those who support most-favored-nation trading status are profiteers, that they are out there working for the interests of corporate America, and that those who are against it care deeply about human rights and that is the end of the story. In fact, I have heard slogans that say something like profit over substance, or profit over principle. The fact of the matter is, nothing could be further from the truth. When I served a mission for my church in that region of the world in the 1970's, I grew to love the Chinese people. I grew to love them deeply.”