From: John Becker
Columbus
Horace Tucker (Oct. 6, 2018 letter to the editor) makes a simplistic but incorrect argument that Chinese competition with U.S. companies is a Democrat-caused problem. The issue of trade with China is far more complex, with both problems and benefits, than the granting of Most Favored Nation (MFN) status.
But on the issue of MFN, let’s get the facts straight. MFN was first granted to China in 1980 while George H. W. Bush was president. However, in accord with the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment governing relations with Communist countries, presidents were required to provide annual trade waivers (with an opportunity for Congress to reject them). Every year, until 2001, every president had done so for China, and Congress had never rejected them.
Supported by President Clinton on March 24, 2000 Congress authorized making MFN permanent by passing Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for China with a vote for PNTR by 164 Republicans and 73 Democrats.
Nearly a year after his election, on Dec. 27, 2001, George W. Bush granted PNTR to China. Calling this a Democrat-caused problem is simply wrong.
