eral News

U.S. Lawmaker Predicts Passage of Bill Against China's Bid to Host Olympics

WASHINGTON, Apr 26, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) The top Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, Tom Lantos, predicted Wednesday a resolution against China's bid to host the 2008 Olympics would easily pass in the House.

"I confidently predict overwhelming passage of this resolution," Lantos said at a hearing on U.S.-China relations.

If so, it would be the second piece of legislation to pass the House this month that directly reflects U.S. lawmakers' growing dissatisfaction with China.

It would also likely further test already strained relations between the two nations over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the recent U.S. spy-plane incident and Beijing's detentions of U.S. residents.

China has vehemently protested the upcoming vote, arguing that the U.S. Congress should not try to influence the International Olympics Committee's decision.

But questioning whether China could host an event which he said required certain international standards and obligations, Lantos said Beijing could not meet those standards.

"China has no intention of allowing press freedom, political defections, unfettered visas to the Games, and freedom for Chinese-Americans," he said.

"For all these reasons, the International Olympic Committee should not grant China the privilege of hosting the Olympics."

The resolution argues that China's record of suppressing political dissent is incompatible with the Olympic ideal which frowns on discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, politics or sex.

Sponsored by Lantos, the measure has already passed through the full International Relations Committee and is expected to go to the House floor next week.

The vote comes at a time of increasing political tension between the two nations, coming on the heels of Washington's decision on arms sales to Taiwan and the recent U.S. spy plane incident in which Beijing held 24 U.S. crewmen for 11 days.

On Tuesday the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to grant Taiwan -- which China regards as a renegade province -- observer status in the World Health Organization.

"It is clear that members of Congress feel it necessary to send a message to China that some things have changed as a result of the way American servicemen were treated," said Herman Pirchner Jr, president of the American Foreign Policy Council, of the Tuesday vote.

The measure was "in the works before, but the timing and size of the vote are reflective of the changes in congressional attitudes towards the relationship with China," he said.

The bill, which passed 407-0, instructs Secretary of State Colin Powell to endorse a measure at a world health summit in Geneva in May to provide Taiwan with observer status at the international body. ((c) 2001 Agence France Presse)

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2001