U.S. and Hong Kong (1997)

H.R.1757

Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1997 (Engrossed Amendment as Agreed to by Senate)

HR 1757 EAS

In the Senate of the United States,

June 17, 1997.

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 1757) entitled 'An Act to consolidate international affairs agencies, to authorize appropriations for the Department of State and related agencies for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and to ensure that the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) proceeds in a manner consistent with United States interests, to strengthen relations between the United States and Russia, to preserve the prerogatives of the Congress with respect to certain arms control agreements, and for other purposes.', do pass with the following

AMENDMENT:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the 'Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1997'.

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SEC. 1620. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

(a) FINDINGS- Congress makes the followings findings:

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(8) Allegations of the Chinese government's involvement in our political system may involve both civil and criminal violations of our laws.

(9) The Senate is concerned that China may violate the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration transferring Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule by limiting political and economic freedom in Hong Kong.

(10) The Senate strongly believes time has come to take steps that would signal to Chinese leaders that religious persecution, human rights abuses, forced abortions, military threats and weapons proliferation, and attempts to influence American elections are unacceptable to the American people.

(11) The United States should signal its disapproval of Chinese government actions through targeted sanctions, while at the same time encouraging worthwhile economic and cultural exchanges that can lead to positive change in China.

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SEC. 1621. SENSE OF THE SENATE ENCOURAGING PROGRAMS BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY REGARDING THE RULE OF LAW IN CHINA.

(a) FINDINGS-

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(2) In recent years efforts by the United States and United States-based organizations, including the National Endowment for Democracy, have been integral to legal training and the promotion of the rule of law in China drawing upon both western and Chinese experience and tradition.

(3) The National Endowment for Democracy has already begun to work on these issues, including funding a project to enable independent scholars in China to conduct research on constitutional reform issues and the Hong Kong-China Law Database Network.

(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE- It is the Sense of the Senate to encourage the National Endowment for Democracy to expand its activities in China and Hong Kong on projects which encourage the rule of law, including the study and dissemination of information on comparative constitutions, federalism, civil codes of law, civil and penal code reform, legal education, freedom of the press, and contracts.

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