For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 27, 2001
Normal Trade Relations Treatment Executive Order
To Extend Nondiscriminatory Treatment to the Products of the People's Republic of China
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
1. The United States and the People's Republic of China
(China) opened trade relations in 1980. Since that time, the
products of China have received nondiscriminatory treatment pursuant to
annual waivers of the requirements of section 402 of the Trade Act of
1974 (the "Trade Act") (19 U.S.C. 2432). Trade between the
United States and China has expanded significantly even though China
has maintained restrictions on market access for U.S. exports and
investment.
2. On November 15, 1999, the United States and China
agreed on certain terms and conditions for China's accession to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) that when implemented will eliminate or
greatly reduce the principal barriers to trade and investment in
China.
3. On November 9, 2001, pursuant to section 101(b) of
Public Law 106-286, 114 Stat. 881, I transmitted a report to the
Congress certifying that the terms and conditions for the accession of
China to the WTO are at least equivalent to those agreed between the
United States and China on November 15, 1999. On November
10, 2001, the Ministerial Conference of the WTO approved the terms and
conditions for China's accession and invited China to become a member
of the WTO. China has accepted these terms and conditions
and became a WTO member on December 11, 2001.
4. Pursuant to section 101(a)(1) of Public Law 106-286,
114 Stat. 881, I hereby determine that chapter 1 of title IV of the
Trade Act should no longer apply to China.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States, including but not limited to
sections 101(a)(2) and 102(a) of Public Law 106-286, 114 Stat. 881, do
hereby proclaim that:
(1) Nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations
treatment) shall be extended to the products of China; and
(2) The extension of nondiscriminatory treatment to the
products of China shall be effective as of January 1, 2002.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh
day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-sixth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
# # #
|