Events now leave us with no choice but to develop such policies. As we do so, I urge that we avoid several dangerous temptations. The facts seem clear. Some argue that as free markets spread in China, freedom and democracy will surely follow. Yet that hasn't happened in Singapore or Malaysia.
Progress requires external and internal pressure.
The question is what kind of external pressure we can provide, and whether we can apply it effectively. If I thought that revoking MFN would achieve overall effective results in one or more of the critical areas, I would vote to do so. In 1993, I voted to condition MFN in order to move the Chinese in appropriate directions. It was worth a try, but it became clear that this approach could not achieve results on a sustained basis. One reason is that when the U.S. is the only nation confronting China, entrepreneurs from other nations simply rush in to fill the void.