I hope that next year we can have a more constructive debate over whether this annual exercise should be scrapped in favor of a deal to grant permanent MFN status for China if they make the necessary commercial concessions to enter the World Trade Organization. The yearly exercise of public handwringing over MFN renewal has proven a liability to a coherent China policy. MFN was never intended to serve as a weapon of punishment for every problem we have with nonmarket economies. Its original purpose of guaranteeing freedom of emigration from the former Soviet Union has been grossly distorted. and I would say without achieving any positive results. But there is a time for everything. and unfortunately now is not the time to push permanent MFN. Integrating China into the international community poses great risks and equally great opportunities.
Keywords matched
emigration