Herbert Pell: “Senator Helms and I have stood together over the years in our condemnation of China's noncompliance with international…”

“Senator Helms and I have stood together over the years in our condemnation of China's noncompliance with international weapons treaties, to their horrific human rights record in Tibet and against their own people, to their use of forced labor and unfair trade practices and so on. We share a deep regard and affection for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and together have welcomed him on several occasions to the Foreign Relations Committee. We have cosponsored legislation providing for VOA broadcasts, Fulbright scholarships, and sense-of-the-Senate resolutions expressing our support to those suffering under oppressive Chinese rule and urging a United States policy that would put some teeth in our commitment to back them up. However, I do not support Senator Helm's amendment to increase the conditions China must meet before MFN can be renewed this spring. Every provision in this amendment is a good one, and China should comply with them all. But we should not build United States-China relations solely around MFN.”