The difficult relationship between the US and China is returning to center stage in Congress as lawmakers tangle over China's bid to host the 2008 Olympics and the Bush administration's extension of normal trade.
Free-traders and those who believe in the benefits of engagement are facing off against those who feel China's human rights record -- plus its detention of a US military crew after an April collision between a US surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter -- should prevent it from enjoying the rewards of the Olympics and open trade.
But first up was an easier issue: A resolution demanding that China free US citizens and permanent residents whom it has detained for months and calling on President George W. Bush to press for their freedom. The four lawmakers who debated the measure Monday -- two Republicans and two Democrats -- all spoke in support.
"Hopefully, this is the first step in raising everyone's consciousness concerning this outrage of hostage-takings of these Chinese-Americans," Representative Christopher Smith, a New Jersey Republican, said of his resolution that required a two-thirds vote to pass. It got more: 379-0.
The non-binding resolution calls on Beijing to "immediately and unconditionally release Li Shaomin (李少民) and all other American scholars of Chinese ancestry being held in detention."
Li is among a group of five US citizens or permanent residents currently being held in China, on what rights groups say are politically motivated charges.
Li is a US citizen who was teaching in Hong Kong, while another scholar, Gao Zhan (
Far more contentious for lawmakers is the Olympics issue, which the Bush administration officially sidestepped.
"The US takes no position on which city the IOC should choose," a State Department official said Monday. "We do share the concern of many in Congress about China's poor human rights record and support calls for an immediate improvement."
A resolution before Congress -- but not scheduled for a vote in either house -- urges the International Olympics Committee not to award China the 2008 Olympics when it chooses a site July 13.
"China's abominable human rights record violates the spirit of the games and should disqualify Beijing from consideration" as Olympics host, said Representative Tom Lantos, the chief House sponsor of the resolution and the top Democrat on the International Relations Committee.
Lantos said Monday the administration's announcement "gives us tremendous new momentum." because it was the best position he had thought was possible from the administration.
But Senator Paul Wellstone, co-sponsor of the companion measure in the Senate authored by Senator Jesse Helms said it will diminish the resolution's chances while increasing the likelihood China will get the games.
"It is one more example of the Bush administration's failure to engage the Chinese government at the highest levels on the issue of respect for basic human rights in China and Tibet," Wellstone said.
Trade votes will likely come up again next month despite last year's congressional action giving China permanent normal trade status as long as it joined the WTO by early June. It's still negotiating that entry.
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