Executive Order 12850—Conditions for Renewal of Most-Favored-Nation Status for the Peoples Republic of China in 1994

WHEREAS, the Congress and the American people have expressed deep concern about the appropriateness of unconditional most-favored-nation (MFN) trading status for the People’s Republic of China (China); WHEREAS, I share the concerns of the Congress and the American people regarding this important issue, particularly with respect to China’s record on human rights, nuclear nonproliferation, and trade; WHEREAS, I have carefully weighed the advisability of conditioning China’s MFN status as a means of achieving progress in these areas; WHEREAS, I have concluded that the public interest would be served by a continuation of the waiver of the application of sections 402 (a) and (b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2432(a) and 2432(b)) (Act) on China’s MFN status for an additional 12 months with renewal thereafter subject to the conditions below; NOW, THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. The Secretary of State (Secretary) shall make a recommendation to the President to extend or not to extend MFN status to China for the 12-month period beginning July 3, 1994. (a) In making this recommendation the Secretary shall not recommend extension unless he determines that: —extension will substantially promote the freedom of emigration objectives of section 402 of the Act; and —China is complying with the 1992 bilateral agreement between the United States and China concerning prison labor. (b) In making this recommendation the Secretary shall also determine whether China has made overall, significant progress with respect to the following: —taking steps to begin adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; —releasing and providing an acceptable accounting for Chinese citizens imprisoned or detained for the non-violent expression of their political and religious beliefs, including such expression of beliefs in connection with the Democracy Wall and Tiananmen Square movements; —ensuring humane treatment of prisoners, such as by allowing access to prisons by international humanitarian and human rights organizations; —protecting Tibet’s distinctive religious and cultural heritage; and —permitting international radio and television broadcasts into China. Sec. 2. The Secretary shall submit his recommendation to the President before June 3, 1994. Sec. 3. The Secretary, and other appropriate officials of the United States, shall pursue resolutely all legislative and executive actions to ensure that China abides by its commitments to follow fair, nondiscriminatory trade practices in dealing with U.S. businesses, and adheres to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, the Missile Technology Control Regime guidelines and parameters, and other nonproliferation commitments. Sec. 4. This order does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by any person or entity against the United States, its officers, or employees. William J. Clinton THE WHITE HOUSE, May 28, 1993.