But now, the end of the Cold War, the explosion of information technologies, the growth of the global economy, and the transition to a more pragmatic and less ideological Chinese leadership have combined to give us an opportunity to reinvent our relations based on mutual respect and shared strategic and economic interests. In the last two years, we have seen greater U.S.-China cooperation in matters of nuclear proliferation, commercial relations, and intellectual property protection. We continue to have significant other differences, but we have made progress. The Clinton Administration has put together an admirable record in conducting our bilateral relationship with the People's Republic of China. The same can not always be said of the proud institution of which I am a member.
Congressional debate is lagged behind, and that is consequential.
Congress must ratify, fund, or otherwise enable policies that express our bilateral relationship. Too often, the debate in Congress has ranged from disdainful disinterest to narrowly combative. Instead, we should aspire to raise the debate up to a level of engagement that is honest, principled, and practical. Last November, I offered a legislative proposal that was aimed at moving us towards such a transformation in Congress's policies towards China. This legislation expresses a policy goal, which is engagement and good, productive, peaceful relations with China.