May 25, 2000 Attached below are statements from the UAW, the Sierra Club, Public Citizen, the Teamsters and Friends of the Earth on the China PNTR vote. ============================================ ============================================ UAW For Release: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 Statement by UAW President Stephen P. Yokich on China PNTR Vote DETROIT, MI. On behalf of the 1.3 million members of the UAW, I want to thank the 197 members of the U.S. House of Representatives who, under tremendous pressure from the White House and the business community, stood with us in our fight for human and workers' rights and for a new approach to trade - one that lifts working people up instead of pushing them down. Needless to say, we are deeply disappointed that a majority of House members were on the other side in this critically important fight. As we have said throughout the debate on China trade policy, we believe the China WTO deal and PNTR are not bold steps forward, but simply the continuation of a severely flawed approach to trade that has produced a huge and rapidly worsening trade deficit, American jobs lost, and the unconscionable exploitation-for-profit of millions of workers in China and other developing countries. But while we are disappointed by the outcome of today's vote, we are encouraged that the debate on the China WTO deal and PNTR has focused long-overdue attention on the Chinese government's brutal repression of labor activists, democratic dissidents, and religious minorities - and on the impact of globalization on working people worldwide. President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Speaker Hastert, Congressman Levin, and other proponents of PNTR for China claim that the China trade deal will lead to a more free and open Chinese society and benefit American workers as well. We intend to hold them to their promises. In that spirit, the UAW calls on President Clinton to demonstrate his commitment to human and workers' rights by demanding that the Chinese government immediately free Wang Changhuai, Yue Tianxiang, Guo Xinmin, Guo Qiqing, Zhang Jingsheng, Liu Jingsheng, Hu Shigen, Yao Guisheng, Wang Guoqi, Peng Shi, and the thousands of other Chinese citizens who today are in prison cells for the "crime" of trying to form free trade unions. ================================================== ================================================== SIERRA CLUB FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: David Willett 202-675-6698 May 24, 2000 SIERRA CLUB PLEDGES TO CONTINUE FIGHT FOR GLOBAL FAIRNESS AS HOUSE PASSES CHINA TRADE BILL Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director Washington, DC: Citing serious environmental concerns, the Sierra Club today expressed disappointment that the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status with China, but vowed to continue the fight for global fairness. The following is a statement from Carl Pope, the Sierra Club's Executive Director: "This trade agreement fails to protect workers, their families and the environment. By accepting permanent normal trade relations, Congress has relinquished what little leverage it had to ensure that values such as environmental protection and human rights are part of our relationship with China." "By accepting permanent normal trade relations, Congress has made it more difficult to protect the environment and human rights. Congress and the Clinton Administration must do more to ensure global trade is clean, green, and fair." "Today's vote in the U.S. House of Representatives was much closer than the pundits predicted, and we thank the many courageous legislators who voted for principle over profit." "This vote does not end the fight for global fairness. In fact, the coalition of environmental, labor and consumer groups has emerged from this fight stronger than ever with broader backing that now includes human rights groups, small business, faith-based organizations, and veterans organizations." The Sierra Club opposed PNTR for three reasons. Retaining annual review would: * give the United States influence with China over the issue of reforms to make the World Trade Organization more open and transparent, which China has said it would oppose; * provide leverage to protect the human rights of environmentalists in China; and * provide leverage to ensure China's compliance with international environmental agreements, such as those protecting endangered species. ### =============================================== =============================================== PUBLIC CITIZEN May 24, 2000 With China Vote, Congress Bows to Big Business, Intense Lobbying, Despite 79 Percent Public Opposition Costly Corporate Campaign, Illegal White House Lobbying Tipped Vote; Broad Fair Trade Coalition Promises to Seek Accountability, a Continued Fight WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today*s vote on China*s trade status represents one of the most dramatic and potentially damaging sellouts to big business in recent congressional history, Public Citizen representatives said today. Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook attributed the vote*s outcome to an intense advertising and lobbying blitz by corporations and the White House. Business trade associations, such as the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and their member corporations, spent tens of millions of dollars on lobbying, political donations, and TV and radio advertising in a legislative campaign they have declared was their costliest ever. "Congress has sold out to corporate interests to help them rake in even bigger profits by giving China a blank check," Claybrook said. "When American businesses look to China, they see dollar signs. They ignore the misery brought by China*s continued human rights violations and inhumane treatment of workers. Lawmakers have dealt Americans a sharp slap in the face." She noted that a Harris poll last month showed that 79 percent of Americans oppose the policy approved today. The coalition that opposed the bill -- including Chinese dissidents, consumer, environmental, human rights, family farm, religious and labor groups -- will keep up pressure, said Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen*s Global Trade Watch. "Members of Congress who supported permanent, unconditional access for goods from China will rue this day as China*s human rights conduct worsens, saber rattling against Taiwan intensifies and U.S. jobs are lost," Wallach said. "The China trade vote was a case study of the corrosive effect money can have on the political process and will be a case study of the corrosive effect political betrayal can have on Election Day. "The same forces who stopped Fast Track in 1997 and 1998, tanked the MAI negotiations in 1998, and halted the planned WTO expansion in 1999 will intensify our never-ending campaign for fair trade by ensuring those who voted with their constituents against China PNTR are rewarded and those who betrayed their voters at home face accountability in November," Wallach said. The Government Accounting Office found the White House violated laws that prohibit spending federal dollars to lobby Congress on legislative matters, Claybrook and Wallach noted. Also, unable to secure a majority on the merits, Clinton twisted the arms of lawmakers by offering pork barrel deals, such as environmental approval for a controversial, environmentally dangerous pipeline in Texas and promises to build weather stations and extend military contracts in target members* congressional districts. "The question of China*s trade status was a skirmish in an on-going, long-term fight about forcing pro-consumer, pro-human rights, pro-democracy rules for globalization. Globalization is a defining phenomenon of our time and we are in this fight for the long term," Claybrook said. ### ================================================== ================================================== INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS STATEMENT ON PNTR FOR CHINA JAMES P. HOFFA, GENERAL PRESIDENT May 24, 2000 Today the U.S. House of Representatives made an important choice, a choice that has far-reaching ramifications for the American people. Congress has turned its back on the American manufacturing base and America*s working families. By granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status for Communist China, Congress has ignored the collective will of the American people. 65% of the American public opposes this flawed trade deal. With the corporate bosses pulling out all the stops including orchestrated junkets to China, a slick advertising campaign, and deceitful lobbying tactics, the American people still are not fooled. Working families are smarter than Congress gives them credit. They know that dirty trade agreements like PNTR and NAFTA cost jobs in this country. They know that human rights are more important than copyrights. And they now know which members of Congress are on their side, and which ones are not. The American labor movement is also faced with a choice. We can continue to do business as usual, supporting candidates who vote with us "most of the time," or we can demand accountability by giving grassroots and monetary electoral support to candidates who stand up for working families when it matters most. The Teamsters Union will choose the road less traveled. Gone are the days of "free passes" on issues that are important to our members. We demand accountability and will not tolerate an action that will cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs. We do not support rewarding the Communist regime in China despite their horrid record on human rights, exportation of weapons of mass destruction to our enemies, and military threats against their democratic neighbors. The Teamsters Union will reassess our support of any candidate who voted against working families today. There are Teamster families in every Congressional district in America, and those families vote. Those who would oppose these families have done so at their own political peril. Our members demand no less. ### ================================================== ================================================== FRIENDS OF THE EARTH May 24, 2000 Friends of the Earth: Congress Passes Anti-Environmental China Trade Deal Contact: Mark Whiteis-Helm, 202-783-7400, ext. 102, or Courtney Cuff, 202-783-7400, ext. 207; both of Friends of the Earth WASHINGTON, May 24 -- The following was released today by Friends of the Earth: After a long battle and a multi-million dollar campaign by big business, Congress dealt the environment a blow today when it approved Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China. Environmentalists, however, cited the heated debate and last minute victory as evidence that the end may be near for undemocratic trade deals with no environmental safeguards. "The China PNTR deal proves how U.S. trade policy has been captured by corporate polluters and fat cat campaign contributors," said Friends of the Earth (FoE) president Brent Blackwelder. "This agreement addresses tariffs for everything from golf carts to weasel tail hair, yet manages to completely ignore the air and water we depend upon for survival." "Several Congressional environmental champions fought hard to break the stranglehold big business has on U.S. trade policy," said Courtney Cuff, Legislative Director for FoE. Cuff cited Reps. DeFazio (D-Ore.), Miller (D-Calif.), Andrews (D-N.J.), Bonior (D-Mich.), Pelosi (D-Calif.), Stark (D-Calif.), Kaptur (D-Ohio), Woolsey (D-Calif.), Holt (D-N.J.) and Markey (D-Mass.) as the trade deal's most vocal opponents on behalf of the environment. Cuff said the deal ignores opportunities to address vital environmental problems like trade in endangered species, global warming and potential destruction caused by invasive species. Friends of the Earth claims the U.S. should have sought assurances that China would not seek to weaken endangered species regulations and invasive species protections once it enters the World Trade Organization (WTO). The group also noted that the trade deal fails to promote the export of clean, renewable energy technology to China, where two million people die annually due to air and water pollution. "Corporate interests spent millions so the environment could get shortchanged," said Blackwelder. "But that won't stop us from fighting the David against Goliath battle to ensure trade agreements don't put the planet in jeopardy." -0- Mike Dolan Deputy Director, Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch Field Director, Citizens' Trade Campaign 202-454-5122 (tel), 202-547-7392 (fax) 215 Pennsylvania Ave. SE Washington, DC 20003 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.tradewatch.org
