MOFTEC Spokesman on Passage of PNTR Bill

The bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on keeping permanent normal trade relation ( PNTR) status with China is a wise decision, a spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) said early Thursday morning.

This will help the healthy and stable development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation with China on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, he added.

MOFTEC Spokesman Hu Chusheng said that solving the PNTR issue is the foundation and precondition to implement the Sino-U.S. agreement on China's entry into the World Trade Organization, noting that the House of Representatives passed the bill early Thursday morning (Beijing time).

But Hu pointed out that the bill contains articles that attempt to use human rights to interfere in China's internal affairs and to damage China's interests, which are unacceptable to the Chinese Government. "China pays close attention to and expresses strong dissatisfaction with this act and reserves the right to react on the issue in the future," the spokesman added.

It is the duty of the U.S. to resolve the PNTR issue in a clear- cut manner. China firmly opposes any attempts and action to interfere in China's internal affairs or to damage China's interests by using human rights or other issues, Hu said.

"We urge the U.S. side to correct its wrongdoing, so as to ensure a healthy and smooth development of China-U.S. economic cooperation and trade," he said.



Please visit People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/