Ending China's Developing Nation Status Act

To end the treatment of the People’s Republic of China as a developing nation. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ending China's Developing Nation Status Act 2. Statement of policy It should be the policy of the United States— (1) to refuse entering into any treaty in which the People’s Republic of China— (A) is labeled a developing nation; or (B) receives the benefits of a developing nation under the terms of the treaty; (2) to oppose the labeling or treatment of the People’s Republic of China as a developing nation in each international organization of which the United States and the People’s Republic of China are both current members; and (3) to pursue the labeling or treatment of the People’s Republic of China as a developed nation in each international organization of which the United States and the People’s Republic of China are both current members. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate committees of congress The term appropriate committees of Congress (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives (2) Secretary The term Secretary 4. Report on the labeling of the People's Republic of China’s development status in current treaty negotiations Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress identifying all current treaty negotiations in which— (1) the proposed treaty develops different standards for the enforcement of the treaty based on the development status of the member states of the treaty; and (2) the People's Republic of China is under consideration for becoming a party to the treaty. 5. Mechanisms for changing development status (a) In general In any international organization of which the United States and the People's Republic of China are both current members, the Secretary shall pursue— (1) changing the status of the People's Republic of China from developing nation to developed nation if a mechanism exists in such organization to make such status change; or (2) proposing the development of a mechanism described in paragraph (1) to change the status of the People's Republic of China in such organization from developing nation to developed nation. (b) Waiver The President may waive the application of paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) with respect to any international organization if the President notifies the appropriate committees of Congress that such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States.

Summary: Ending China's Developing Nation Status Act This bill requires the Department of State to take actions to stop China from being classified as a developing nation by international organizations. (Generally, international organizations provide developing nations certain rights and beneficial treatment. For example, the World Trade Organization provides developing nations with so-called special and differential treatment, which includes measures that aim to increase trading opportunities for those nations.) Under this bill, the State Department must advocate for international organizations to (1) change China's status from developing nation to developed nation, or (2) develop a mechanism to change China's status to developed nation if no mechanism currently exists. The President may waive this requirement if doing so is in the national interest of the United States.