Speech #1010232477

These reports describe the applicants performance during Tiananmen and are expected to be confessional in nature. As confessional reports are leading to imprisonment. torture. and execution. rather than permission to leave China. this procedure is yet another way for the Chinese police to persecute prodemocracy supporters. Further. it clearly hampers free emigration and makes a mockery of our trade law. The May Library of Congress report also notes the dramatic decrease of approvals of visa applications in Beijing and Shanghai. According to this reportand I quote: "The rate of rejection is the worst it has been in a long time." Between January and March of 1990. some 19.512 citizens of Beijing and Shanghai applied to leave the country. Only 15.085 people were granted approval to go abroad. which means that close to 25 percent were denied permission. Let me repeatThe rate of rejection of visa applications is the worst it has been in a long time. Do we really want to reward China for this? And. how about the socalled cultivation fee that must be paid to the Government by students wishing to go abroad for selffinanced graduate studies? Given that this fee amounts to what the average Chinese college graduate earns oyer 8 years. this obviously precludes free movement and open emigration. Clearly. Chinas overall emigration policy contradicts freedom of emigration requirements set forth in our statutes even worse. Chinas harsh tactics simply do not reflect a nation that even cares about having a JacksonVanik consistent policy. You will hear some people credit China for filling its annual United States immigration quota allotment. However. given that China has 1.1 billion inhabitants. filling a 20.000 immigrant visa quota is hardly proof of a free and open emigration policy. In fact. having over one billion people allows the Chinese Government to keep pro democracy supporters imprisoned at home. while permitting less strident and relatively innocuous citizens to leave China. Then. ruthless Chinese leaders turn to the United States and say: "See. we filled your quota allotment. This proves we have free and open emigration." For the sake of those continuing their fight for freedom and democracy in China. I hope and pray that you. my colleagues. can see right through this. We must pass this motion of disapproval and convince the Chinese leadership that Tiananmen Square. and the harsh emigration policies that keep the horror of Tiananmen alive. have not been forgotten in America. Even if the President vetoes this measure. and we fail to override. at least the Chinese Government will understand that the ground it stands on in the eyes of Americans is very. very shaky. That is precisely the message Chinese leaders must be forced to see. and the kind of leverage we need to exert.