James Slattery: “Thank you, Mr. President. From Tuesday, June 4, to Sunday, June 9, 2002, a delegation of six members of the National…”

“Thank you, Mr. President. From Tuesday, June 4, to Sunday, June 9, 2002, a delegation of six members of the National People's Congress of China, as well as senior Chinese parliamentary staff, visited Washington, DC, for meetings with representatives of the legislative and executive branches. The chairman of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee led the delegation, which participated in four sessions of dialogue with Members of the House. In addition, they met with the Speaker of the House, the Parliamentarian of the House, the chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, the Congressional Research Service, and representatives of the National Security Council, the Department of Commerce and the Department of State. The delegation also participated in several events highlighting U.S. business interests in China. These discussions encompassed a wide range of subject matter, including China's ascension to the WTO, Taiwan, and the marked improvement of U.S.-China relations in the past 2 years. The overall tone of the dialogue was positive and cooperative. During the NPC delegation's visit to Washington in 1999, a conversation would often turn to issues of contention, like the tragic accidental bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade or China's human rights record.”