*EPF306 05/17/00
Text: Representative David Dreier Touts China PNTR
(Sees China PNTR as "win" for U.S. values) (470)

Granting permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China is a winner for the United States, according to Representative David Dreier (Republican of California).

"Bringing China into a rules based trading system is a win-win-win for American workers, American values, and America's high-tech leadership," said Dreier, Chairman of the House Rules Committee, in a May 17 press release.

"This is a historic opportunity to further enhance our leadership in the global marketplace that cannot be understated," said Dreier, a major supporter of permanent NTR status to China.

Granting China NTR status," he said, "will also help expose one billion Chinese to the freedoms that technology can bring."

Following is the text of press release from Representative Dreier's office:

(begin text)

MAY 10, 2000

At GOP eContract Ceremony
Dreier Says PNTR Critical for Tech Sector

"Bringing China into WTO is a win-win-win for American workers, values, and U.S. Tech Leadership," Says Dreier

WASHINGTON -- Emphasizing the success of Republican leadership on high tech issues, Congressman David Dreier (R-CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, joined his Republican colleagues today at a press conference to unveil eContract 2000, the GOP's agenda for High Tech America. As a member of the Republican Leadership and a leader in the effort to pass Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for China, Dreier spoke specifically about the upcoming PNTR vote and its importance to maintaining the leadership of America's high tech sector.

"Bringing China into a rules based trading system is a win-win-win for American workers, American values, and America's high-tech leadership," said Dreier. "This is a historic opportunity to further enhance our leadership in the global marketplace that cannot be understated."

Dreier joined other members of the House Leadership including Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, and Majority Leader Dick Armey at the event which was carried live in the Internet sites Yahoo! and Voter.com. Also joining the Members of Congress were students from area middle schools who demonstrated the many ways technology impacts their daily lives, especially when doing their homework. At the conclusion of the press conference, the Members digitally signed the eContract 2000.

"The technology boom that has created 4.8 million jobs in the past six years is the result of the hard work of millions of Americans and a Republican Congress that has kept its commitment to a pro-technology, pro-trade, pro-investment, pro-entrepreneurship public policy agenda," said Dreier. "Granting PNTR to China will be one more step toward honoring that commitment. It will also help expose one billion Chinese to the freedoms that technology can bring," he said.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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