FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 22, 2002

MEDIA CONTACT: DAVID OHRENSTEIN, (202) 624-1407
E-mail:dohrenstein@uscc.gov

CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OF CONGRESSIONAL U.S.-CHINA SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION SEND LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH IN ADVANCE OF CHINA SUMMIT

Washington, D.C. – The bipartisan United States-China Security Review Commission today released the text of a letter sent by its Chairman and Vice-Chairman to President Bush in preparation for the Bush-Jiang Summit meeting in Crawford, Texas later this week.

The letter urged President Bush to raise several important issues with President Jiang:

-- That China immediately cease all transfers of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems to terrorist-sponsoring states, and strengthen and vigorously enforce its export controls consistent with its multilateral and bilateral commitments to non-proliferation;

-- That the trade imbalance with China is not sustainable and must be addressed in ways that will reduce the more than $85 billion deficit with China, our largest with any single country, and that China fully implement its WTO trade commitments and continue to reform its economy along market principles; and

-- That China fully carry out its commitments to the United States to cooperate more fully in implementing bilateral agreements to prevent the export of Chinese prison labor products into the United States.

According to newly elected Commission Chairman, Roger Robinson, "We hope President Bush will raise these and other important issues with President Jiang at the Summit. Our concerns involve Chinese compliance or non-compliance with agreements they have made with us and with the international community on important issues. These are among a number of key bilateral issues the Commission raised in our first annual report."

The bipartisan United States Security Review Commission was created by the Congress in the Fall of 2000 to assess the national security implications of the growing economic and commercial linkages with China and to prepare an annual report and policy recommendations based on its assessment. The Commission is composed of twelve members who are appointed by the four Leaders of the House and Senate. The Commission issued its first annual report to the Congress on July 15, 2002 (available on the Commission website, (www.uscc.gov).

U.S. - China Commission Letter to President Bush (PDF file)

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