Extensions of Remarks

June 27, 1989 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 13625 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS WISE INSIGHT FROM PRESI chances for further economic progress and were strangely quiet about the deafening si DENT NIXON ON EVENTS IN eventual political reform. They would not lence from Mikhail S. Gorbachev. He may CHINA be in the interests of the hundreds of thou have refrained from condemning the Chi sands of Chinese in China and all over the nese leaders because he fears that he, too, world who have demonstrated for political will continue to face pro-democracy and HON. ROBERT J. LAGOMARSINO reform. And they would not be in the inter anti-Moscow regional movements, such as OF CALIFORNIA ests of the United States. If, in anger, we the one in Georgia this spring where troops IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES drive China back into the shadows of the used shovels and poison gas against the Soviet Union and the oppressive economic Tuesday, June 27, 1989 people. In stark contrast to the massive cov system Deng Xiaoping has tried to reform, erage of tragedy in Tian An Men Square, Mr. LAGOMARSINO. Mr. Speaker, 17 years those who have died for freedom in China American television cameras and reporters ago history was made when President Richard will truly have d~ed in vain. were not present when 20 or more Geor Nixon traveled to the People's Republic of To see where we should go in our policy gians died, which is one reason Gorbachev's China and opened the door to relations with toward China, we should first look back to popularity rating in the West remains high see where we have been. this Asian giant. Since that time, Mr. Nixon while Deng's is plunging. But the Soviet When I went to China in 1972, I was criti leader cannot push his luck by condemning has closely monitored China's development cized by the far right and praised by the far and its relationship with both the United Deng for taking steps he has already taken left, both for the wrong reasons. The far and may have to take again. States and the Soviet Union. Today, as we right believed I had betrayed my anti-com Gorbachev also knows a freeze between focus on the aftermath of the brutal repres munist principles; the far left rejoiced be Washington and Beijing will hasten the sion of China's prodemocracy movement and cause it thought I had outgrown them. In thaw between Moscow and Beijing. Nearly formulate policy to address this very serious fact, my decision had nothing to do with my forgotten in the aftermath of Tian An Men and emotional issue, I bring the very insightful attitude toward communism. Square is an equally important event that The first reason I went to China was the commentary by President Nixon to my col Soviet threat. Both the Soviet Union and occurred there just days before: the normal leagues' attention. China had communist governments. Both ization of relations between Moscow and I believe we should carefully consider the were supporting our enemies in North Viet Beijing. Hard-line communist leaders in broader issues and implications of our actions Beijing, some of whom have been suspicious nam. But there was a crucial difference. of Americans to begin with, are probably as particularly advanced by Mr. Nixon. While The Soviet Union, as a nuclear superpower, saying today that if the United States there have been many commentaries and was a potential threat to the United States. China was not. China had broken away adopts further sanctions-in effect closing analyses on the situation in China and on the door to China that we opened in 1972- future Sino-American relations, Mr. Nixon's ar from the Soviets and was in the position to play a more constructive, international role. the Kremlin gates now stand open. ticle is the best and most intelligent I have It made both moral and strategic sense for China's leaders want to continue economic seen. I strongly urge my colleagues to careful the United States to have relations with any progress, and they know the best way to ly study the following insight from President nation that did not threaten our fundamen achieve that is through continued access to Nixon-someone who knows, firsthand, the tal interests. Western technology and investment. They realities of China and American national inter The second reason I went to China had neither like nor trust the Russians, and the Russians have little to offer them compared ests. nothing to do with the Soviet Union. Even if there had been no Soviet threat, it was es with the West. [From the Los Angeles Times, June 25, But political factors can override econom 1989] sential that we have relations with a govern ment that was a member of the nuclear ic realities. The Chinese got along without CHINA POLICY: REVULSION REAL, REPRISAL club. And today, how can we launch a world the West for a quarter-century, and they WRONG wide attack on the environmental crisis could do so again. If we force them back <By Richard M. Nixon> without the cooperation of a government into their angry isolation from the West, we NEW YoRK.-China's brutal repression of ruling more than one-fourth of all people on risk prompting a potentially disastrous en its pro-democracy movement has shocked Earth? tente between the two great communist the Western World. The Tian An Men Today, a strong, stable China is as vital as powers that would be in nobody's interests Square crackdown was shockingly cruel and ever to the security interests of the United but Gorbachev's. incredibly stupid. Last week's executions of States and to peace in the Pacific. A weak, Despite the fundamental national self-in activists and workers deepened our revul fractured China would leave the Soviet terest behind our rapprochement with sion, leading even China's friends to ques Union as the dominant military power in China, many Americans have gone over tion the rationality of a regime that would Asia and Japan as the dominant economic board and turned it into a romance. China go forward with such brutality in spite of power. has a limitless capacity to fascinate. But it the protests of Western governments, whose Whatever happens in the future, it is im is not Disneyland. It is, as it has been since future good will China needs to continue its perative that Chinese-American relations 1949, a communist dictatorship held togeth economic reforms. remain strong so the United States can help er by brute force. For now, China seems to have reverted to maintain the balance among China, Japan No one who knows China should be sur its old fanatical communist hard line. In the and the Soviet Union. · prised when its leaders turn to violence in light of this development, it is difficult to President Bush will be pressured to take pursuing their political goals. contemplate how continued normal rela harsher action by a strange coalition of They have done far worse before Tianan tions with China would be in our interests, China-bashers. Those on the far right who men Square. One overly excited journalist at least in the short term. But before adopt oppose any relations with China will wrote last week that the crackdown trans ing policies of reprisal that would again vir demand economic and diplomatic sanctions. formed "the Woodstock-like encampment of tually isolate the Chinese regime from the So will the human-rights lobby, which calls young students . into the bloodiest kill West, the Bush Administration must consid for punishing every regime that does not ing ground in communist China's history." er long-term stakes, for the United States live up to our standards, regardless of our He apparently was not aware that many and the people of China. interests or those of the millions living times more people died-hundreds of thou Lashing back with punitive policies would under those regimes whom sanctions would sands, some Chinese claim millions-in Mao be politically popular and emotionally satis hurt the most. The Bush Administration Tse-tung's Cultural Revolution. Twenty mil fying for the great majority of the Ameri should continue to ignore these extremist lion died in the wake of the brutal forced can people. Such policies would make us feel voices and stay the prudent course it has al collectivization known as the Great Leap better. But they would have no effect what ready set. Forward. Attacks on unarmed civilians are soever on China's hard-line leadership. In Many who criticized the President's meas never justified. But in condemning them, we stead, they could dash the Chinese people's ured response to the Beijing crackdown should not pretend that we did not know e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. 13626 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS June 27, 1989 that China's leaders were capable of using ments in public about what the Chinese plying with their present debt-service obliga violence for political purposes. leaders should or should not do. It would be tions, or noncompliance appears imminent. Since Tiananmen Square, some pundits far better to urge them, through private have noted with irony that the Deng who channels, to show restraint in dealing with Yet the Federal Reserve and other regula beguiled millions during his state visit to pro-democracy activists and eventually find tors have required the banks to reserve the United States in 1979 is the same man a way to accommodate dissent within the against only 3 percent of this total.

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