U.S. Press Applauds Clinton's Trade Bill With China

The New York Times and The Journal of Commerce, two well-known newspapers in the United States, published editorials respectively Friday, rendering strong support for President Bill Clinton in his bid to win an early congressional approval of permanent trading status with China.

The U.S. Congress should "quickly approve legislation needed to smooth China's admission to the World Trade Organization" (WTO) and grant the country normal trading status "on a permanent basis," The New York Times' editorial said.

The editorial, entitled "A Good Deal With China," criticized some Congressmen for having used the annual debates over China's trade privileges to challenge Beijing's human rights record and other offensive behavior in the past years.

The Journal of Commerce echoed the comment, describing in its own editorial President Clinton's proposed legislation as "a powerful case" which the Capitol Hill should heed attentively.

The editorial, entitled "Pass the China Bill," warned that Congressional short-sightedness on the WTO and PNTR issue will cost the United States an economic opportunity provided by an agreement reached between Washington and Beijing last November, under which China pledged to open its market to U.S. goods and investments.

"China won't be obligated to open its market to the United States even as it opens up to other countries in the WTO. And thatwill hurt the United States -- whose own market is already largely open -- far more than it will hurt China," the editorial said.

It advised Congress to "listen" to the president and "move swiftly" to approve China PNTR so that the United States may continue its trade with China and gain benefits from the process.

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