Senate moves toward vote on China trade relations

WASHINGTON (AP) - China trade was the first order of business yesterday as the Senate returned from its summer recess with leaders of both parties determined to approve the normalization of trade relations before lawmakers close shop to campaign before the November elections.

Passing the bill this year is "profoundly important for the country," said Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), a leading advocate of widening trade with China.

While supporters believe they have a solid majority in the Senate, they face two real dangers - time limitations as Congress rushes to finish its work for the year and the determination of some senators to link normalized trade to China's weapons proliferation and human rights record.

The House approved the China trade bill last May on a 237-197 vote, and the concern is that any Senate amendments to that bill would effectively kill it for the year because there wouldn't be time for the two chambers to work out differences between the measures.

"Bluntly, a vote to amend is a vote to kill this bill and, with it, any chance that U.S. workers, farmers and businesses will benefit from China's accession to the World Trade Organization," Sen. William Roth (R-Del.) said as the Senate began debate on the measure. Roth is chairman of the Finance Committee.

China's trade status has been subject to annual review under a 1974 act governing trade with communist states. The legislation to make normal trade relations permanent comes after China last year, as part of its effort to join the WTO, reached an agreement with U.S. negotiators on lowering its tariffs and removing trade barriers.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said he hoped to reach a final vote on the trade bill by the end of next week.

The biggest fight is likely to be over an expected amendment by Sens. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.) that would urge the president to apply sanctions against China and others contributing to weapons proliferation.

Thompson has rewritten his measure to give the president more latitude in applying sanctions, but both the administration and American business groups still oppose it, saying China would merely turn to European and Japanese sellers.