Her remaining son is now paying a terrible price for his brave attempts to document Tibetan culture. No one here would disagree that in so many ways the policies and practices of the Chinese Government stand in direct opposition to the democratic principles upon which our country is founded. Mr. Choephel s case is just one of many examples. The question, however, is not whether we approve or disapprove of this reality. The unavoidable fact is that our current approach has not worked.
Due process is non-existent.
Ngawang Choephel and many other political prisoners remain in custody. Many of China s workers are exploited. Anyone who publicly expresses support for democracy is silenced. If I thought that we could solve these problems by preventing normal trade relations with China, I would support it without hesitation, but I do not believe that course would achieve our long-sought solutions to these many problems. Preventing normal trade with China would not advance the political and humanitarian goals that the United States has long worked for in China, nor will it advance the economic goals we have set for ourselves here at home.