WebMemo posted February 18, 2009 by Stephen Yates, Walter Lohman
Secretary Clinton's Asia Trip: Getting China Right
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to China (February
20-22) caps off her groundbreaking first official trip abroad. By
visiting Asia first, Clinton has provided an encouraging sign that
she understands the region's importance to America's future and the
central role that American leadership plays there.
In her speech to the Asia Society prior to…
Executive Memorandum posted September 11, 2000 by Stephen Yates
Better U.S. Treatment of Taiwan
Taiwan, long a special case when it comes
to U.S. foreign policy, deserves better treatment at the hands of
the Clinton Administration. Though its government is not officially
recognized by the United States, a far-reaching U.S. law--the 1979
Taiwan Relations Act--calls for maintaining extensive legal,
commercial, and defense relations with the people of Taiwan.…
Backgrounder posted May 5, 2000 by Stephen Yates, Larry M. Wortzel, Ph.D.
How to Trade with China Benefits Americans
The debate in Washington over granting permanent
normal trade relations (NTR) status to China has been fractious.
Conservatives and liberals disagree, even among themselves, over
whether increased trade with China will effect improvements in its
human rights record, religious freedom, fair labor practices, or
security concerns.
Now
the President is asking…
Executive Memorandum posted March 31, 2000 by Larry M. Wortzel, Ph.D., Stephen Yates
What the Election in Taiwan Should Mean to Washington and Beijing
Americans should celebrate the results of
Taiwan's March 18 presidential elections. In a hotly contested
democratic election, the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan
elected Chen Shui-bian, a former mayor of Taipei who was defeated
in the 1998 mayoral election and who ran as the candidate of an
opposition party called the Democratic Progressive Party…
Executive Memorandum posted March 10, 2000 by Stephen Yates
Permanent Trade Relations with China: Necessary Steps for Congress
The Clinton Administration is calling on Congress
to extend China's normal trade relations (NTR) status on a
permanent basis at the earliest possible date. The Administration
sent proposed language for such action to Capitol Hill on March 8.
It is important that any legislation eventually approved by
Congress enables the United States to benefit from the…
Executive Memorandum posted February 29, 2000 by Stephen Yates
China's Taiwan White Paper Power Play
China's recent rhetorical assault on
Taiwan is a tutorial for the Clinton Administration on one
important principle: You reap what you sow. Administration
officials were shocked that, less than 24 hours after the State
Department's latest peace mission to China, Beijing unleashed a
lengthy White Paper that harshly criticizes Taiwan's democratic
leaders, changes the…
Executive Memorandum posted February 11, 2000 by Stephen Yates
Time to Act on Taiwan's Security
On
February 1, the House of Representatives sent a powerful message to
China, Taiwan, and President Clinton that the status quo is no
longer acceptable in U.S. policy toward Taiwan. By an overwhelming
and bipartisan 341-70 vote, the House passed the Taiwan Security
Enhancement Act (H.R. 1838), strengthening America's ability to
fulfill the mandate of the 1979 Taiwan…
Executive Memorandum posted December 9, 1999 by Stephen Yates
U.S. to China: Join the WTO, But Real Work Lies Ahead
After 13 years of negotiations, the United States
and China have agreed to terms on China's entry into the World
Trade Organization (WTO). A similar deal expected with Canada and
the European Union makes China's accession to the WTO nearly
inevitable. Although Congress's approval is not required in this
process, Members of Congress have a role in determining how…
Testimony posted July 1, 1999 by Stephen Yates
Hong Kong Under Chinese Rule
Testimony before the
East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee -
Foreign Relations Committee -
United States
Senate
Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Subcommittee,
thank you for inviting me to address you on this second anniversary
of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese sovereignty.
Today's hearing is one of the many ways the United States…
Executive Memorandum posted January 25, 1999 by Stephen Yates
China's Democracy Crackdown Demands a Presidential Response
At the end of his trip to China from June 25 to
July 3, 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton praised the Chairman of
China's Communist Party, Jiang Zemin, as a visionary and the right
leader at the right time for China. Unfortunately, within six
months of this statement, the same leader President Clinton had
praised began the most systematic crackdown on organized…
Asian Backgrounder posted June 25, 1996 by Stephen Yates
Why Renewing MFN for China Serves U.S. Interests
(Archived document, may contain errors) No. 141 June 25, 1996 WH-Y RENEWING MFN FOR CHINA SERVES U.S. INTERESTS INTRODUCTION On May 20, President Bill Clinton announced his intention to extend unconditionally China's most-favored-nation trade status for another year. At the end of this month, Congress will vote on a resolution to revoke MFN trade status for the…
Backgrounder Update posted March 12, 1996 by Richard D. Fisher, Stephen Yates
China's Missile Diplomacy: A Test of American Resolve in Asia
(Archived document, may contain errors)
3/12/96 269 CHINA'S MISSILE DIPLOMACY: A TEST OF AMERICAN RESOLVE IN ASIA (Updating Asian Studies Center Backgrounder No. 139, "China's Threats to Taiwan Challenge U.S. Leadership in Asia," March 6, 1996) Early in the morning of March 8, China fired three nuclear-capable missiles into two areas close to the Republic of China on…