II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5190 

To end the treatment of the People’s Republic of China as a developing 

nation. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 6, 2022 

Mr. ROMNEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To end the treatment of the People’s Republic of China 

as a developing nation. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ending China’s Devel5 oping Nation Status Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

7 It should be the policy of the United States— 

8 (1) to refuse entering into any treaty in which 

9 the People’s Republic of China— 

10 (A) is labeled a developing nation; or 


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1 (B) receives the benefits of a developing 

2 nation under the terms of the treaty; 

3 (2) to oppose the labeling or treatment of the 

4 People’s Republic of China as a developing nation in 

5 each international organization of which the United 

6 States and the People’s Republic of China are both 

7 current members; and 

8 (3) to pursue the labeling or treatment of the 

9 People’s Republic of China as a developed nation in 

10 each international organization of which the United 

11 States and the People’s Republic of China are both 

12 current members. 

13 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act: 

15 (1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON16 GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con17 gress’’ means— 

18 (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 

19 the Senate; and 

20 (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 

21 the House of Representatives. 

22 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

23 the Secretary of State. 


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1 SEC. 4. REPORT ON THE LABELING OF THE PEOPLE’S RE2 PUBLIC OF CHINA’S DEVELOPMENT STATUS 

3 IN CURRENT TREATY NEGOTIATIONS. 

4 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact5 ment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to 

6 the appropriate committees of Congress identifying all 

7 current treaty negotiations in which— 

8 (1) the proposed treaty develops different 

9 standards for the enforcement of the treaty based on 

10 the development status of the member states of the 

11 treaty; and 

12 (2) the People’s Republic of China is under con13 sideration for becoming a party to the treaty. 

14 SEC. 5. MECHANISMS FOR CHANGING DEVELOPMENT STA15 TUS. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—In any international organization 

17 of which the United States and the People’s Republic of 

18 China are both current members, the Secretary shall pur19 sue— 

20 (1) changing the status of the People’s Republic 

21 of China from developing nation to developed nation 

22 if a mechanism exists in such organization to make 

23 such status change; or 

24 (2) proposing the development of a mechanism 

25 described in paragraph (1) to change the status of 


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1 the People’s Republic of China in such organization 

2 from developing nation to developed nation. 

3 (b) WAIVER.—The President may waive the applica4 tion of paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) with respect 

5 to any international organization if the President notifies 

6 the appropriate committees of Congress that such a waiver 

7 is in the national interests of the United States. 

Æ 


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