Cliff Stearns: “In the last Congress and many before, many of us have heard predictions that have been made regarding China. Advocates…”

“In the last Congress and many before, many of us have heard predictions that have been made regarding China. Advocates last year stated that granting permanent normal trade relations to China would help bring reform to this Communist government, and establish a real friendship between our nations. Reading the papers last year and this year, this week particularly, I see nothing to support that statement. I think relationships are pretty shaky as they are. On February 11 of this year, Chinese officials detained an American family. In doing so, they separated the couple's 5-year-old son from his parents for 26 days. After 26 days, little Andrew was reunited with his father and expelled; but his mother is still being held. President Bush is demanding the release of this Washington-based sociologist. Her family claims that the alleged spying charges are trumped up. The State Department has announced this woman was not even an agent of the American intelligence service. Now China has detained a second American scholar. This hardly seems like a nation that is becoming cooperative after receiving permanent normal trade relations with the United States. China's already poor human rights record sadly worsened last year. I am pleased that the new administration has recognized that fact and has urged the United Nations to address the widespread oppression in China.”