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105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 149

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the state visit to the United

States of the President of the People’s Republic of China.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

NOVEMBER 8, 1997

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. KERRY, Mr. SMITH of Oregon,

Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. GRAMS, Mr. ROBB, and Mr. ROTH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on

Foreign Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the state visit

to the United States of the President of the People’s

Republic of China.

Whereas the ability of the United States and the People’s Republic of China to avoid conflict, to cooperate, and to act

as partners rather than adversaries has a substantial

bearing on peace and stability in Asia and worldwide;

Whereas, on October 28–30, 1997, President Jiang Zemin of

the People’s Republic of China conducted a state visit to

Washington, DC;

Whereas the state visit included meetings with President Bill

Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and the

Congressional leadership;
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SRES 149 IS

Whereas, in connection with the state visit, China gave clear

assurances that it will conduct no new nuclear cooperation with Iran, reiterated its commitment not to assist

unsafeguarded nuclear facilities, joined the Zangger Committee, and promulgated national regulations to control

exports of nuclear material, equipment and technology;

Whereas President Clinton announced his intention to certify

that China has met the conditions necessary to implement the 1985 Agreement for Cooperation Between the

Government of the United States and the Government of

the People’s Republic of China Concerning the Peaceful

Uses of Nuclear Energy;

Whereas China agreed to allow a delegation of American religious leaders to conduct a fact-finding mission on religious freedom in China, to resume a project of accounting for prisoners, and to conduct preparatory talks on establishing a Non-Governmental Organization forum on

human rights;

Whereas the United States and China agreed to conduct regular summit, cabinet-level, and sub-cabinet level meetings

in their respective capitals, and agreed to the establishment of a direct telephone link between the two Presidents;

Whereas the United States and China agreed to increase contacts between their respective militaries in order to avoid

incidents at sea between their naval forces, and to coordinate their responses to humanitarian crises;

Whereas the United States and China agreed to increase cooperation aimed at promoting the rule of law in China,

including training judges and lawyers, drafting legal

codes, and developing due process of law;
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SRES 149 IS

Whereas the United States and China agreed to expand their

cooperation in law enforcement efforts, including by stationing officers of the United States Drug Enforcement

Administration in the United States Embassy in Beijing;

Whereas the United States and China have agreed to cooperate on developing clean energy projects in China through

the use of United States products and technology;

Whereas despite some significant achievements reached during the state visit of President Jiang Zemin, many significant concerns and problems remain in the U.S.-China

relationship;

Whereas the United States continues to have serious concerns

about human rights policies and practices of the People’s

Republic of China, including the imprisonment of Wei

Jingsheng, Wang Dan, and other dissidents, limitations

on the free practice of religion, harsh population control

measures (including isolated reports on forced abortion),

the use of prison labor to produce cheap consumer goods,

the continuing suppression of the people of Tibet, and the

refusal of China’s leadership to meet with the Dalai

Lama;

Whereas the United States continues to have deep concerns

about reports of exports from China of nuclear, chemical,

and ballistic missile technology, and advanced conventional weapons, to countries who are known proliferators,

such as Iran and Pakistan;

Whereas the United States continues to seek from the People’s Republic of China measures to reduce the growing

trade imbalance between the United States and China,

including access to China’s markets for United States

products and services;
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Whereas the United States believes it is imperative that the

People’s Republic of China commit to resolving the Taiwan question by exclusively peaceful means, and that

both sides should resume a Cross-Straits dialogue as soon

as possible;

Whereas the recently concluded U.S.-China summit is part of

President Clinton’s articulated policy of engagement with

the People’s Republic of China, a central goal of which

is to further draw the People’s Republic of China into the

international community and toward internationally recognized standards of behavior; and

Whereas President Clinton accepted President Jiang’s invitation to make a return visit to the People’s Republic of

China in 1998: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the Senate—

2 (1) welcomes the agreements and understand3 ings reached by the United States and the People’s

4 Republic of China during the state visit of President

5 Jiang Zemin;

6 (2) urges the President to continue to press vig7 orously for further progress in China’s policies and

8 practices in the areas of human rights, nonprolifera9 tion, trade, Tibet, and Taiwan;

10 (3) views the expected return visit to the Peo11 ple’s Republic of China in 1998 by President Clinton

12 as an opportunity for the United States and the

13 People’s Republic of China to advance their relation14 ship by enhancing cooperation in areas of accord
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1 and making genuine progress toward resolving areas

2 of disagreement.

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