The Wall Street Journal
By MARK H. ANDERSON
WASHINGTON--- U.S. lawmakers Wednesday said farm state support of China's ascension to the World Trade Organization is wavering amid numerous worries about the country's record and conduct, including its resolve to honor trade pacts on agricultural products.
The farm state voting bloc in Congress is key for U.S. approval of permanent normal trade relations for China. The U.S. trade status is needed to ease China's entry into the WTO.
While China's WTO agreement contains numerous provisions that could greatly increase U.S. exports of agricultural goods to China, lawmakers are concerned China won't meet the terms of the agreement.
"I'm very worried about this," Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. said. "I sure don't want to bring this up and have it lost."
Roberts said he recently visited with House agriculture lawmakers and thinks support of the China measure on the House agriculture panel is "iffy." He echoed calls from other key Republicans that the Clinton administration needs to ramp up its lobbying for the agreement to help get it through Congress.
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and other lawmakers recently pressed China to meet obligations on a standing agreement regarding wheat exports. While Baucus said China's recent move to purchase 50,000 metric tons of wheat was heartening, he said he is still concerned about the level of support for China WTO in Congress.
Other complicating factors on the China trade vote include recent threats the country made against Taiwan with regard to reunification talks and the outcome of bilateral trade negotiations between China and the European Union.
Members of Congress were annoyed by China's action on trade, and key lawmakers have said the move may endanger chances for passage of permanent normal trade relations with the country. Lawmakers are also watching the European talks closely to see whether agreements on such matters as fertilizer imports to China come in at acceptable levels.
Fertilizer is one of the products, for instance, that the U.S. would like to see improved terms on and the European outcome could impact the policy with regard to the U.S. and China.
To shore up congressional support, Roberts called on President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and congressional leaders to appear at the White House after the March 7 presidential primaries to show a unified front on the China trade issue.
Roberts argued that this action would go a long way in showing that the Clinton administration is fully behind the trade pact. "Otherwise we've got a lot of trouble" in getting the measure through Congress, he added.
While Republicans questioned administration support - particularly Gore's - Baucus said he has spoken with Gore and can assure Congress that the vice president and presidential candidate is fully behind the package passing this year. The Montana Democrat also urged business leaders to step up their lobbying by speaking in congressional districts in addition to visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Lobbying on the China trade vote may need to intensify quickly. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., indicated Tuesday that the issue could come up for a Senate vote as early as May. Earlier predictions put the China vote in the summer or later.
Lott also feels that China's conduct regarding Taiwan may greatly complicate the vote in the Senate, which earlier was considered to be much more firm than the House vote. "The great danger with regard to China being admitted to WTO and permanent trade status is China's conduct," Lott said. "They cannot be threatening their neighbors and participating in nuclear proliferation and violating human rights and participating in religious persecution,"
-By Mark H. Anderson; Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9230 (Mark.Anderson@dowjones.com):
