Howard Berman: “It simply says that PNTR is automatically revoked if China attacks, invades, or blockades Taiwan. Now, when we talk to…”

“It simply says that PNTR is automatically revoked if China attacks, invades, or blockades Taiwan. Now, when we talk to people in the administration or even outside in the academic world, people who are China experts, they all say, but if China invades, attacks, or blockades Taiwan, of course we would revoke PNTR and much more. But, over and over again in history, we know that when nations do not tell the consequences for conduct for aggressive actions, other countries misread those consequences. Having studied what happened prior to the Gulf War for a very long time, I believe if we had made more clear to Saddam Hussein what would have happened should he invade Kuwait, that particular bloody battle could have been avoided. If all we are going to do is agree to revoke PNTR should this very real threat be implemented, then let us tell the Chinese beforehand.”