TEXT: CLINTON CALLS FOR 24-HOUR BROADCASTING TO CHINA
(Letter to Gingrich pledges cooperation)

Denver -- President Clinton says he will seek support from Congress for providing 24 hours of Mandarin broadcasting services daily to China.

"My administration has strongly supported broadcasts to China by both Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America, and I believe that there is more that each could accomplish with more resources," Clinton said in a June 18 letter to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich.

The letter was released in Denver where the president is attending the summit meeting of the heads of state and government of the seven major industrial countries and Russia.

Following is the text of the letter:

(begin text)

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I want to commend you for your leadership in helping to develop a constructive approach to our relationship with China and to reaffirm my administration's continued commitment to work with you and your colleagues to promote human rights and the rule of law in China. While we both agree that denying normal trading status to China would not advance that goal, we share the view that we must continue to encourage efforts to promote liberalization in China.

In particular, I believe it is critical that we encourage initiatives to promote the free exchange of ideas and information, and I welcome your call for increased funding to expand U.S.-supported international broadcasting into China. My administration has strongly supported broadcasts to China by both Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America, and I believe that there is more that each service could accomplish with more resources.

I therefore pledge to work with you and others in the Congress to obtain additional support for Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America, to provide 24 hours of Mandarin broadcasting services daily to China and appropriate broadcasting in other dialects.

I look forward to discussing with you these and other efforts that reflect the common interest of the administration and the Congress in promoting human rights and the rule of law in China.

Sincerely,

Bill Clinton

(end text)