Texts: Feb. 11 News Release, Letter on U.S.-China Agriculture Deal
(Senators urge full, immediate implementation of agreement)In a February 11 letter to Chinese President Jiang Zemin, 53 U.S. senators urged China to implement fully and immediately the bilateral Agricultural Cooperation Agreement signed in April by U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky and Chinese Trade Minister Shi.
"It is time for action," U.S. Senator Max Baucus (Democrat of Montana) declared in a February 11 press release issued in conjunction with the letter.
The letter, initiated by Baucus and Senator Pat Roberts (Republican from Kansas), stresses the importance of actual sales of U.S. wheat, meat, and citrus to China "as soon as possible."
"This would demonstrate to everyone watching our bilateral relationship that this agreement is working," the letter says. "It would also provide a solid contribution to the efforts to ensure the passage of Permanent Normal Trading Relations ('PNTR') for China."
Following is the text of the press release followed by the letter:
(begin text of press release)
U.S. Senator Max Baucus (Democrat from Montana) and Pat Roberts (Republican from Kansas) led 53 senators Friday in strongly pressing Chinese President Jiang Zemin to fully and immediately implement a bilateral agriculture agreement calling on China to purchase American [agricultural] products.
This agreement was signed by U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky and Chinese Trade Minister Shi in Seattle during the World Trade Organization talks last December.
"I'm glad my colleagues in the Senate could join us in sending this letter to President Jiang," Baucus said. "A concrete commercial action, like buying U.S. [agricultural] products, will help gain Normal Trade Status with China. We are asking Chinese leaders to show that they are serious about implementing trade agreements."
In the bipartisan letter, Baucus and his colleagues said they were pleased that a Chinese technical team investigating citrus issues had completed its visit to the United States. But the senators told the Chinese president that: "We want to stress, however, how important it is that actual sales of wheat, meat, and citrus take place as soon as possible. This would demonstrate to everyone watching our bilateral relationship that this agreement is working. It would also provide a solid contribution to the efforts to ensure passage of Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China."
A long-time leader and proponent of trading with China, Baucus has met several times with top Chinese leaders about China's entry into the WTO. Last December, Baucus met with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji in Beijing and again with Chinese Ambassador Li Zhaoxing earlier this month in Washington. Baucus stressed the importance of demonstrating that China will comply with all of its WTO commitments.
"It is crucial to our relationship with China that they purchase American products as soon as possible," Baucus said. "It's time for action."
(end text of press release)
(begin text of letter)
February 11, 2000
President Jiang Zemin People's Republic of China Beijing, China
Dear Mr. President,
We are writing to urge full implementation of the bilateral Agricultural Cooperation Agreement that Ambassador Barshefsky and Trade Minister Shi signed in April. Both sides agreed that when they initialed the Chinese version in Seattle last December that implementation would begin immediately.
We appreciate that your citrus technical team has completed its visit to the United States. We understand that actions will now be taken to make those changes necessary for American citrus products to be sold to China.
We want to stress, however, how important it is that actual sales of wheat, meat, and citrus take place as soon as possible. This would demonstrate to everyone watching our bilateral relationship that this agreement is working. It would also provide a solid contribution to the efforts to ensure the passage of Permanent Normal Trading Relations ("PNTR") for China.
Mr. President, we are entering a new stage in the relationship between our two countries. The sale of product through the Agricultural Agreement will help immeasurably.
List of Senators who signed:
Max Baucus; Pat Roberts; Bob Graham; Larry E. Craig;
Kent Conrad; Blanche L. Lincoln; Tim Johnson;
Dick Durbin; Patty Murray; Michael B. Enzi; Slade Gorton;
Tom Daschle; Trent Lott; Chuck Robb; Spencer Abraham;
Jeff Bingaman; George V. Voinovich; John Ashcroft;
Sam Brownback; Bob Kerrey; Craig Thomas; Conrad Burns;
Connie Mack; Jim Bunning; Daniel Inouye; Byron L. Dorgan;
Mike Crapo; Kit Bond; Gordon Smith; Chuck Grassley;
Jay Rockefeller; Phil Gramm; Joe Biden; Lincoln Chafee;
Harry Reid; Barbara Boxer; Richard Bryan; Charles Schumer;
Rod Grams; Ron Wyden; Chuck Hagel; Paul D. Coverdell;
Wayne Allard; Herb Kohl; Tom Harkin; Diane Feinstein;
John Edwards; Daniel K. Akaka; Rick Santorum; Orrin Hatch;
Daniel Patrick Moynihan; Kay Bailey Hutchison; Evan Bayh(end text of letter)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)
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