WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a prelude to war! Former Presidents Support Clinton on China WTO Vote (Update1) By Heidi Przybyla Washington, May 8 (Bloomberg) -- Former presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George Bush called on Congress to grant China permanent access to the U.S. market, backing President Bill Clinton in one of his biggest remaining legislative battles. The bipartisan show of support gives a boost to the White House bid to broaden trade with the world's most populous nation before a key congressional vote expected the week of May 22. ``In economic terms, the case is clear,'' the three former chief executives said in a letter released by the White House. Congressional failure to act ``would cost American jobs and squander the best opportunity we have had in a generation to address our long-standing concerns about China's trading practices.'' The letter to the American public comes during a crucial period in the China debate. Opponents and supporters of the bill to grant China permanent ``normal trade relations'' acknowledge the vote is too close to call in a battle in which Clinton is aligned with business groups against one of his core constituencies, labor unions. Both sides are working to line up high-profile endorsements, including one by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who made the case for greater U.S. trade with China in a letter released today to House Banking Committee Chairman James Leach. Opponents countered by releasing letters from three former Chinese political prisoners attacking a congressional plan to monitor China's human rights policies, a proposal seen as key to gaining support from Democrats for the vote. American Jobs The former presidents took a swipe at one of labor's chief criticisms of the vote, which would smooth China's entry to the World Trade Organization. Unions like the Teamsters have argued that U.S. companies will shift production facilities to China to take advantage of lower labor costs. Yet the presidents said in their letter that U.S. jobs would be lost if Congress doesn't act. They backed an administration argument that U.S. companies will be relegated to the sidelines while foreign companies enjoy the market-opening commitments China made to become a WTO member. Another complaint by opponents is the U.S. will lose leverage over Chinese human rights practices by giving up its annual practice of pegging access to the U.S. market to human rights policies. The former Chinese political prisoners -- Wei Jingsheng, Harry Wu and Wang Xizhe -- wrote letters to Representative Sander Levin criticizing his plan to establish a human rights panel while granting China permanent normal trade relations. They said the current system was better because it carries the threat of cutting off commerce. ``The annual review and possible sanctions are effective tools of restraint to help protect human rights,'' Wei said in his letter to the Michigan Democrat. ``How many bullies have you met who won't beat you up just because you have voluntarily unarmed yourself?'' said Wei, who spent 19 years as a political prisoner. Gore to Speak The ex-presidents' letter stresses Democratic and Republican support for making China's normal trading status permanent. ``The agreement to bring China into the WTO is the product of more than 13 years of tough negotiations conducted by four administrations, Democratic and Republican,'' the letter said. The letter is pegged to a White House event tomorrow in which Ford and Carter and several former Treasury secretaries, secretaries of state and national security advisers will urge support for the trade measure, said White House spokesman Jake Siewert. Vice President Al Gore will speak at the event, and will use his remarks to stress his support for permanent normal trade relations with China, said his campaign spokesman Chris Lehane. The event marks the first time Gore and Clinton have appeared together to press for the China trade accord since Gore signaled to labor leaders in February that he'd push for a tougher trade agreement with China if elected president. Gore has since stressed in public comments that he fully supports the China accord. While the AFL-CIO union federation last month organized a rally against expanded trade with China, it also has endorsed Democrat Gore's presidential bid. **COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. 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