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Clinton Warns Democrats on China Trade, Sees Success
US President Bill Clinton warned Democrats in an interview broadcast on Thursday that Congressional defeat of China trade legislation would hurt his party but said he expected to win the vote.
"I just don't want to see our party responsible for walking away from another big opportunity and responsibility of the United States," Clinton said in a National Public Radio interview with broadcaster Diane Rehm recorded on Wednesday.
Congressional advocates and supporters of the China trade legislation say Clinton faces an uphill battle in winning House of Representatives approval for legislation to grant China permanent trading privileges.
The measure is aimed at increasing US access to China's markets and paving the way for its entry into the World Trade Organisation.
"We don't have the votes yet. I think we'll get the votes, because I think it's the right thing for the country. But I think it will be -- I won't know for a few days yet," Clinton said.
Clinton later played down a warning by House Republican Whip Tom DeLay, a backer of the trade legislation, that it lacked the votes to pass. Asked if he was concerned about DeLay's comments, Clinton said, "No, because I've noticed he's quite effective at getting votes when the time comes -- sometimes when I like it and sometimes when I don't."
Votes from Democrats are in particularly short supply, with many lawmakers from Clinton's own Democratic Party opposing the legislation because of heavy pressure from labour unions.
Clinton said in the interview that defeat of the measure would hurt Democrats in a way similar to the impact of Republican-led Senate rejection of a nuclear test ban treaty last year.
``I think it would be a big problem for our country if it didn't pass, because it would increase the chances that something bad would happen in that area; it would give aid and comfort to the reactionaries in China; and it would make it possible for people to question whether the Democrats were running away from our global responsibilities," Clinton said.
``Right now, that's a burden the Republicans have to bear, because they defeated the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty...And I think it was a terrible mistake by them," Clinton said.
Passage of the legislation would help Vice President Al Gore in his election campaign to succeed Clinton, despite the adamant opposition to the legislation by key Gore supporters in major trade-unions, Clinton said.
"It will help him because he's been a very strong supporter of this agreement and generally of our trade policy. And even though some of the strongest elements of the Democratic party and some of our best friends are on the other side of this fight, it shows he's willing to take an independent stand to do what he believes is right," Clinton said.
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