Bob Menendez: “this debate is not just about human rights in China, it is also about jobs in America and the conditions under which the…”

“this debate is not just about human rights in China, it is also about jobs in America and the conditions under which the United States does business with the undemocratic nations of the world. After a decade of engagement with China, what do we have to show for it?--forced abortions, human rights violations, flouting of our intellectual property rights, violation of nuclear nonproliferation accords * * * the list goes on and on. MFN is about trade and jobs. Whose jobs? Over one-third of China's exports are sold in the United States, but only 2 percent of United States exports are sold in China. Our trade deficit is now at $34 billion. Why? Because China does not reciprocate the trade benefits we grant to them with MFN. It continues to issue high tariffs and nontariff barriers, and insists on production and technology transfer-- all of which hurt American jobs. There are only four tools of peaceful diplomacy available to us: providing U.S. aid, opening U.S. trade, international opinion, and denying U.S. aid and trade. We have tried the first three, and yet, China is resilient to change. The time has come to do the right thing. The only thing this regime understands is power. We have great power-- the power of the American purse. I urge my colleagues to disapprove MFN for China. Let's send a clear and unmistakable message to the Chinese leadership--the United States will not stand for discriminatory and predatory trading practices.”