Date: 2000-05-24
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in favor of this language of this treaty. I truly believe that the failure to enact PNTR will deprive the United States of meaningful market access. China has access to our markets. We need access to their markets. This agreement will provide a landmark set of rules in protecting patents. copyrights. trademarks. and other forms of intellectual property protection. This system protects Americans research. innovation. and creates incentives for further investment of technological services. We need this treaty today. There is no way that we can be the leader of the world. Our chair at the table of the world is empty. No agreement ever before has contained stronger language to strengthen the guarantees of fair trade and to address practices that distort trade and investment. It will help American workers by eliminating practices that can cost American jobs and force unfair transfer of technology to China. For the first time. Americans will have the means to combat many of these practices. Mr. Speaker. I rise to speak on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China . The potential of Permanent Normal Trade Relations is far from being realized by many Americans. in fact. it is far from being realized by many of my colleagues. I am here to express the reason I support this measure. What we are doing should not be looked at as a favor for China. but as an act that is in the best interest of America and Americans. And certainly. my district. my state. our country. our American workers. Without PNTR. American workers. American farmers. and American business will be left behind. While groups. such as Asian. Latin American. Canadian and European competitors reap the benefits of PNTR. American workers. American farmers. and American businesses will miss out on opportunities that may possibly raise their economic standards. To compete effectively. American workers. American farmers. and American businesses. need the access provided by granting PNTRthe ability to export and distribute goods in China. This access will allow our businesses to export to China from here at home and to have their own distribution networks in China. This is more convenient than being forced to set up factories in China to sell products through Chinese partners. This will provide the opportunity for our firms to attain the access they need to Chinas fastgrowing services market in sectors like telecommunications. This agreement truly strengthens our ability to ensure fair trade and protect U.S. agricultural and manufacturing bases from unwanted import surges. unfair pricing. 6nd unwarranted abusive investment practices. I truly believe that failure to enact PNTR will deprive the United States of meaningful market access for goodskey elements that are necessary to safeguard American workers from unfair import surges from China. This agreement will also provide a landmark set of rules for protecting patents. copyrights. trademarks and other forms of intellectual property. This system protects Americans research and innovation and creates incentives for further investment and technological progress worldwide. Our firms also need access to Chinas fastgrowing services market in sectors like telecommunications. Just think. this access will allow. for the first time. our companies the ability to sell and distribute products in China made by workers here at home without being forced to transfer our technology to China. This ability to work at home also sets the stage for increased trade. which will play a part in raising the living standards here in America. The U.S.. the worlds largest exporter. will gain the most from a strong. open. multilateral trading system. This trading system will help raise living standards for American working families that depend on exportrelated jobs. It is a fact that jobs supported by goods exports pay 1316% more than the national average. Denying China PNTR will cost American exports and the jobs they support as well as higher paying jobs. We must not allow our competitors in Europe. Asia. and elsewhere to capture Chinese markets. Simply stated. if Congress enacts PNTR there will be more exports to China of products made in the United States by American workers and products grown by our farmers. If Congress does not grant PNTR. our competitors will enjoy the full market access and enforcement rights in China that we will be denied. No agreement ever on WTO accession has ever contained stronger measures to strengthen guarantees of fair trade and to address practices that distort trade and investment. Mainly. it will help American workers b7 eliminating practices that can cost American jobs and forcethe unfair transfer of U.S. technology to China. For the first time. Americans will have the means to combat measures such as forced technology transfer. frequent mandated offsets. frivolous local content requirements. and other unfair -practices that drain jobs and technology away from the U.S. Passage of PNTR will open China to American values and practices also. U.S. companies are more committed than their Asian competitors to progressive labor management practices and protecting the safety of their workers. It is clear. our decision could fundamentally H3696 cc change not only our relationship with China. but China itself. Since I am a representative of Dallas. Texas. let me expound on how PNTR will help Texas and my district. The U.S.-China Bilateral Agreement on Chinas accession to the WTO opens an important market to Texas exports. by benefiting key industries. busily creating export. and blossoming employment opportunities. Texas exports to China are broadly diversified with almost every major product category registering exports to the Chinese market in 1998. Texas merchandise- exports sales to China totaled over $583 million in 1998a 46% increase from the $399 million sold to China in 1993. Included in Texas exports to China are sales from key metropolitan areas. For example. my district. Dallas. grossed $92 million in sales. The agreement will open the market for a wide range of services. including telecommunications. banking. insurance. financial services. professional. hotel. restaurant. tourism. motion pictures. video distribution. software. business. computer. environmental. and distribution and related services. This will occur not only in Texas. but also throughout America. Its simple. granting PNTR will not erase the horrific acts of the Chinese Government. but it will enable selfprotection and allow opportuni.ties for American workers. Opportunities that we should not allow to pass us by due to past actions of the Chinese Government. Let me end by acknowledging the work that all of my colleagues have and continue to do in order to ensure Americas leadership position in the worid. As Members of Congress and leaders. we must realize that now is the time to encourage China to evolve. We can advance Americas economic system without diluting the goals we stand for and the goals that allow democracy to prevail.