Q: What is your take on the recent stand-off between the United States and China?
A: First and foremost, I am relieved that 24 service men and women returned home safely after a contemptible experience, where they were held in captivity for 11 days. Their detention in China following the April 1 collision involving a U.S. aircraft and a Chinese fighter jet was an outrageous stunt pulled off by the Communist bureaucracy that will test the waters of Sino-U.S. relations in the months ahead. Personally, I felt like the Chinese regime thumbed its nose at the United States and those of us who have strongly supported broadening commercial ties and clearing a path for a free marketplace and an open democracy in the world’s most populous nation. As a congressional leader on issues of international trade, I have long supported efforts to grant China permanent normal trade relations, which would pave the way for China to win membership to the World Trade Organization. However, China's behavior has called into question its commitment to join an international forum governed by the rule of law. As U.S. and Chinese officials meet in the coming days over outstanding issues, namely the return of the American aircraft, I hope we see a clear signal that the reformers, and not the military, are in charge in Beijing. This will serve as a critical component in China's ability to pursue normal commercial ties with the United States. While its bid to join the 140-member WTO has stalled, mainly over sticking points regarding agriculture and financial services, China must show its word is good when it comes to opening up markets and playing by the same rules as everybody else. That goes for matters of diplomacy, too.
Q: What do you see as the fall-out from this incident?
A: It’s too soon to tell with any great certainty. But I do know this latest incident makes for choppy waters in Congress when debate begins this summer on whether to extend to China the same low tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. market that is enjoyed by most other countries. Critics also are questioning whether China’s bid to host the 2008 Winter Olympics should be derailed. And I’m ready to put on the table and fully debate whether the U.S. should open up defensive arms sales to Taiwan. Since 1949 when mainland China came under Communist control, the island has not been under Beijing’s rule, although Beijing and Washington have recognized Taiwan as a part of mainland China. Maybe the silver lining to be gleaned from all this heart burn is that perhaps Beijing will use the episode as a lesson in the rule of law.