Wendy Sherman: “Well, right now China has been emboldened in a way that I did not think would occur this particular month. Clamping down…”

“Well, right now China has been emboldened in a way that I did not think would occur this particular month. Clamping down on the religious group that the gentleman pronounces so well, clamping down on both Catholics and Protestants, a thousand nuns and monks expelled from their monasteries in Tibet, all in the weeks before we are supposed to vote. Imagine if this is the last vote. How many more Christian practitioners, how much more will they clamp down? Keep in mind the proponents of this deal postulate the idea that with increased trade there will be a challenge to the monopoly power of the Communist party of China. Now I do not think that challenge will occur, but if it does they will clamp down and do whatever it takes to maintain that monopoly power, and no matter how many executions occur, the worst the Americans can do to them is a really tough letter and a really long report, but they will not lose a single penny. That is not a situation that is conducive to human rights in China.”