GOP's Bauer Blasts U.S. China Policy

Long-shot Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer attacked the Clinton administration's China trade policy at a forum on the 10th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre at Lamont Library last Thursday.

Bauer, a self-styled "Reagan Republican" who made his name as head of the conservative Family Research Council and is most known for his stances on social policy issues, called Clinton's policy of economic engagement with the Beijing regime "a disaster."

He reserved special scorn for members of his own party-including the frontrunner for the GOP nomination, Texas Gov. George W. Bush-who support continued Most Favored Nation (MFN) status for China.

"The policy to put trade above human rights was wrong in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and it is wrong today," Bauer said.

He called for tougher restrictions on trade with China in order to bring pressure on the country's Communist leadership to improve its human rights record.

China's trade status, a perennial subject of debate in Congress, is scheduled to come before the House this summer.

China policy splits both parties, with Bush and many Republicans supporting the president's policy and some Democrats-including House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), another panelist at last week's forum-calling for restrictions on trade with China.

An articulate speaker who has never held elected office, Bauer sounded a populist note in his speech, spending most of his time attacking the "corporate elites" he said were responsible for the current policy.

Clinton's trade policy, Bauer said, "has created a China lobby in America made up of corporate presidents hoping to enrich their bottom line [and] politicians afraid to offend these corporations because it would cost them donations."

Bauer also said that in the wake of the release of the Cox report in May, which detailed Chinese spying at American nuclear weapons plants over the last 20 years, the U.S. should be wary of expanding trade relations with China.

Bauer's handlers billed his speech as a "major address," but his appearance was limited to participation in a panel in the Lamont Forum Room. The panel was part of a two-day forum that drew many veterans of the Tiananmen Square democracy protests, including Harvard graduate student Wang Dan.

In an interview with The Crimson, Bauer was more pointed in his criticism of theClinton administration's handling of the spyscandal.

Bauer said if he were in Clinton's position, hewould have moved faster when allegations of spyingcame to light and would "knock some heads."

He also criticized the American businesscommunity for downplaying the importance ofChina's poor human rights record.

"If shooting down their own citizens in thestreet...is not enough to affect trade, it seemsto me corporate America would have to argue tradewith Germany in the 1930s was okay," Bauer said.

Among the contenders for the Republicanpresidential nomination, several of the candidatesconsidered more moderate, like John McCain andBush, support continuation of MFN status(technically renamed Normal Trade Relations statuslast year, but still commonly referred to by itsold name). More conservative candidates, likeBauer and Patrick J. Buchanan oppose the Clintonadministration's policy.

Bauer hinted in the interview that he was readyto exploit this division in the party and makeChina policy an issue in the Republican primaries.

"I'm going to do everything I can to be a skunkin the tent of my own party," he said.Christine Y. ChiouCrimsonGOP presidential candidate GARY BAUER greetsreporters in Cambridge on Thursday.

Bauer said if he were in Clinton's position, hewould have moved faster when allegations of spyingcame to light and would "knock some heads."

He also criticized the American businesscommunity for downplaying the importance ofChina's poor human rights record.

"If shooting down their own citizens in thestreet...is not enough to affect trade, it seemsto me corporate America would have to argue tradewith Germany in the 1930s was okay," Bauer said.

Among the contenders for the Republicanpresidential nomination, several of the candidatesconsidered more moderate, like John McCain andBush, support continuation of MFN status(technically renamed Normal Trade Relations statuslast year, but still commonly referred to by itsold name). More conservative candidates, likeBauer and Patrick J. Buchanan oppose the Clintonadministration's policy.

Bauer hinted in the interview that he was readyto exploit this division in the party and makeChina policy an issue in the Republican primaries.

"I'm going to do everything I can to be a skunkin the tent of my own party," he said.Christine Y. ChiouCrimsonGOP presidential candidate GARY BAUER greetsreporters in Cambridge on Thursday.