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MOFTEC Spokesman on Passage of China PNTR Bill
A Chinese spokesman said Wednesday morning in Beijing that the resolution of the Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) issue is conducive to the development of Sino-US trade and economic cooperation and bilateral relations, and it is in the fundamental interests of both China and the US.
Spokesman of China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) Hu Chusheng made the remarks in response to the passage of China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) bill by the US Senate.
"It also reflects the common desire of the two peoples. However, we note that the bill passed by the US Senate still contains certain clauses that are irrelevant to trade and are intended for interfering in the internal affairs of China and harming China's interests, which is resolutely opposed by the Chinese government," he said.
He said that on September 20th, the US Senate passed by voting the bill on Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China. "We appreciate the great efforts made by American people of vision from the Democratic Party and the Republican Party as well as people of all circles concerned."
The World Trade Organization requires all its members to observe the principle of non-discrimination and grant unconditional most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment to each other, the spokesman said. "According to the China-US Trade Agreement, China has always offered unconditional MFN treatment to the United States. But the US long-standing practice of annual review of China's MFN status in accordance with its domestic laws constituted a major impediment to the healthy and steady development of Sino-US economic relations and trade," he said, adding that "The permanent resolution of MFN status has long been desired by the people."
The US Senate passed a bill on Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China on Tuesday afternoon (American Eastern time).
The bill was approved by a vote of 83-15 after the Senate rejected 18 of the 25 amendments. All the remaining seven amendments were either withdrawn or shelved.
The US House of Representatives adopted the PNTR bill on May 24 by a vote of 237-197. Once the legislation is signed into law by President Bill Clinton, the United States will terminate the annual review of China's "most-favored-nation" status and establish normal trade relations with China after it joins the World Trade Organization.
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