U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) has called for the U.S. to terminate its Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China in a bid to "rebalance the trade relationship" and confront China's human rights abuses. These remarks were made in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on May 23.
"It is time to right past wrongs and rebalance the trade relationship," said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, U.S. Rep from New Jersey. "The first step must be to repeal permanent normal trade relations, as MFN is now known. In January Rep. Tom Tiffany (R., Wis.) and I introduced the China Trade Relations Act, which would withdraw PNTR and allow China to regain favorable tariff status only through an annual presidential review dependent on 'significant progress' on human rights. Withdrawing PNTR would alert business leaders that relying on China-based supply chains is no longer in their interests."
According to the U.S. Department of State archives, it was on May 24, 2000, that the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation granting PNTR status with China. This move followed a bilateral agreement between the U.S. and China in 1999, which facilitated China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and opened Chinese markets to U.S. goods without necessitating new U.S. concessions.
In his op-ed, Smith suggested that repealing PNTR status with China would serve as a warning to business leaders that reliance on China-based supply chains is no longer beneficial for their interests. He argued that not only would this give American businesses a fair chance to compete, but it would also prevent Americans from being "complicit" in China's human rights abuses by purchasing and consuming products made using slave labor.
Smith further noted in his WSJ op-ed that Congress had "rightfully" revoked PNTR status with Russia last year and should take similar action against China, which he believes will be advantageous for the Chinese people as well.
Now serving his 22nd term as a US Representative, Smith holds a senior position on the Foreign Affairs Committee where he chairs the Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee according to his website. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Chairman of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), and acts as the "Special Representative" on Human Trafficking for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly.
