U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, joined with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today to underscore how the Communist Party in China continues to ignore agreements made 15 years ago when they joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). The rejection of these commitments, which included key steps towards rectifying the horrible human rights record of China, show that the increased commercial connections have not encouraged the party to follow the rule of law.

     “During the 1990s, many Members of Congress sought to link increased China trade with human rights improvements,” said Smith, who has held 62 hearings on human rights abuses in China. “We could not comprehend how US trade policy could put profits before the poor and the persecuted. We could not comprehend how the so-called ‘realists,’ who still drive much of US foreign policy toward China, could argue that increased trade and investment would lead to political reform and human rights improvements.

     “We now know that this was a fantasy.” Click Here to read Smith’s Statement.

     During the original debate in the 90’s, proponents of allowing China into the WTO argued that increased trade, investment and commerce would result in rising incomes, a growing middle class and demands for political reform—key ingredients to human rights improvements. President Clinton, who led the drive for China’s entrance into the WTO, said that Chinese democracy was, “inevitable, just like when the Berlin Wall fell.” 

     At that time Smith held a hearing entitled “China, the WTO, and Human Rights.” In that hearing the extreme abuses of the Chinese regime were brought to light, abuses that could not be papered over with trade deals. The witness, Charlie Wowkanech, the president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, testified about how, “Chinese labor activists are regularly jailed  or imprisoned in reeducation camps for advocating free and independent trade unions, for protesting corruption and embezzlement, for insisting that they be paid the wages that they are owed.”

     In fact, in 2016 the CECC’s China Report found that the Chinese government still prevents workers from organizing independent unions, in part, because the Party still regards organized labor as it regards citizen activism in other public spheres—a threat to the Party’s hold on power. The report also noted that the Party increased restriction on peaceful expression and religious activity.

     “President Xi has presided over an extraordinary assault on the rule of law and civil society using repressive policies and new laws that threaten freedom advocates in China and challenge both U.S. interests and U.S.-China cooperation and goodwill,” said Smith.

     “I believe that, someday, China will be free. Someday, the people of China will be able to enjoy all of their God-given rights. I am optimistic that the new Administration, unlike those before it, will take the recommendations gathered at this hearing and implement a new system to help those in China who continue to fight for their rights. These fighters will be honored as heroes, along with all others like them, who have sacrificed so much, and so long, for freedom,” said Smith.

          The Congressional-Executive Commission on China was created by Congress in October 2000 to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China, and to submit an annual report to the President and the Congress. Members of the Commission include up to nine Representatives and nine Senators from both parties, along with five senior officials in the Executive Branch, representing the Department of State, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Commerce.

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