From @UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU:owner-china-nt@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Fri May 27 09:40:51 1994 Date: Fri, 27 May 1994 09:41:04 -0400 Reply-To: Yingyin Xu Sender: China-Net From: Yingyin Xu Subject: CCF Special Edition Comments: To: china-nt@uga.cc.uga.edu To: Multiple recipients of list CHINA-NT ==+==+==+== C h i n e s e C o m m u n i t y F o r u m ==+==+==+=== Thursday, May 26, 1994 (Issue No. 9427) +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Chinese Community Forum (CCF) is an e-journal published on China-Net. CCF is dedicated to the discussion on the issues related to the Chinese community. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Editorial Board of CCF. Contributions to the discussions and suggestions of new topics are very much appreciated. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= # of Table of Contents Author | Lines ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== -*- Special Edition: Clinton Has Renewed MFN to China -*- 1. Clinton has renewed MFN for China, what's next? ........... Luo Ning 35 2. Over 1,100 have signed the Petition Letter Drive for MFN Renewal ................................ Ad Hoc Committee on MFN for China 63 ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== 1. Clinton has renewed MFN for China, what's next? ............ Luo Ning 35 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- President Clinton has ended the suspense this afternoon by renewing the Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status of China. In addition, he has also eliminated many potential future entanglements by delinking the human rights conditions from the MFN. By doing so, he has not only reconfirmed the importance of the MFN status in the overall US-China relation, but also admitted that the policy of conditional MFN he adopted last year is no longer going to work. We have to admire his courage in making this decision in view of the strong criticisms he will face in the Congress and in media. This decision today has put the US-China relation at the beginning of a new era, in which many things will be different from what used to be. With the MFN issue gone from the spotlight, other aspects of the bilateral as well as the multilateral relations will emerge on the stage. How will these aspects form a coherent pattern with the absence of the MFN issue, a focal point in the relation of the two countries since 1989? What role will human rights issue play? How US and China resolve their disagreements in other areas? It is imperative for our community and the community organizations like IFCSS to follow the development closely, for the US-China relation has an overwhelming influence on the development of the community itself. Only with solid grasp on what is going on in China, in the US, in the relation between the two, and in Chinese community, could a systematic and coherent approach be envisioned and implemented. In the past few months, two large scale surveys and a recent national petition letter drive (see the next item in this issue) have clearly shown the serious concern of the community over the issue of MFN renewal. Clinton's decision has dispersed our anxiety to a large extent. It is disappointing that the IFCSS leadership, with its sporadic moves without popular support, has lost the proper influence it could have exerted on this important matter. What Clinton said today is, essentially, "it is time for change". Shouldn't the same be said of IFCSS? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Over 1,100 have signed the Petition Letter Drive for MFN Renewal ................................ Ad Hoc Committee on MFN for China 63 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MFN Letter Campaign organized by the Ad Hoc Committee on MFN renewal for China has met with tremendous response from Chinese students, scholars, and professionals from around the world. As of 12:00 pm today, the Committee has gathered about 1,120 signatures of supporter from the US, Canada, 7 European countries, Japan, and Australia. Even at this moment, more e-mail signatures still keeps pouring in. A surprising fact is that we only received two e-mail messages objecting to the renewal of MFN for China among 1,120 pieces of e-mail. This is a great showcase of the overwhelming concern of the overseas Chinese students and scholars about the future of their motherland. Yesterday morning at 11:00 am, the Ad Hoc Committee on MFN held a press conference at the Capitol in Washington DC to make our distinct voice known to the general public. The student leaders from the DC metropolitan area and a representative from another Chinese group campaigning for MFN renewal also attended the press conference. Reporters from National Public Radio, Voice of America, World Journal, China Xinhua News Agency, local TV station, and China Washington Post crowded the conference room to cover the events. Mr. Xue Haipei representing the Ad Hoc Committee on MFN presided the conference and briefed the campaign background and result. Dr. Ke Gang from the Committee delivered a statement explaining the goals of and reasons for the letter campaign. Mr. Li Chunshen introduced the campaign of his group and the joint efforts with the Ad Hoc Committee. Student leaders Ms. Kong Qingying (Georgetown), Mr. Wang Wengong (George Washington), and Mr. He Tao (American University) made their points in support of MFN renewal for China. The conference also devoted half hour to questions from reporters. Immediately after the press conference, the Petition Letter to President Clinton was delivered to the White House with hundreds of pages of original E-mail print-out attached. Meantime, the Letter was distributed to Congressional offices through some staff members of the House who were helping us on this matter. President Clinton finally made his decision on the MFN this afternoon. We are very pleased to learn that the Administration not only renewed the MFN for China, but, more importantly, adjusted the US foreign policy orientation on China by de-linking trade and human rights once and for all. In the words of Secretary of the State, "the old policy of linking the two has run its own course". This encouraging result is precisely the goal of our campaign and the overwhelming stand that Chinese students, scholars, and professionals took in their response to our letter campaign. We sincerely welcome the wise and far-reaching policy decision from the White House and believe that this policy will lay a new foundation for China-US relations. Now, we are witnessing another important moment in and a new epoch of China-US relations. Let's seize this opportunity and push for a stable and all-dimensional relationship between the two great nations. We like to take this opportunity to thank all signees of the Petition Letter who made the success possible. We are also grateful to many college student leaders and some enthusiastic individuals who volunteered their time and energy to help collect signatures from local Chinese communities. TOGETHER, WE DID MAKE A DIFFERENT VOICE KNOWN AND DID MAKE DIFFERENCE. The Ad Hoc Committee on MFN for China Washington, DC May 26, 1994 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=++ + Executive Editor: Yingyin Xu Executive Moderator: Changqing Yang + +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + For subscription: mail "SUB CHINA-NT Your-First-Name Your-Last-Name" + + to LISTSERV@UGA (bitnet) or listserv@uga.cc.uga.edu (internet) + + For unsubscription: mail "UNSUB CHINA-NT" to the above e-address + + For back issues of CCF: + + anonymous ftp to: cnd.org[132.249.229.100]: pub/community/CCF + + gopher to cnd.org: 2. English Menu --> 13. Community --> 1. ccf + + For contribution and inquiry: mail to ccf-editor@ifcss.org + +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=++