PNTR didn't work for China . It won't work for Vietnam.

Human rights and democracy must come before free trade

- An open letter to Congress from democracy and human rights advocates and organizations, including China and Vietnam democracy activists and dissidents -

"We trade, they torture. We trade, they abuse. We trade, they incarcerate, they arrest and they mistreat." -- U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) on trade with China .

 

Congress is gearing up for the vote on Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) to Vietnam. This is planned to pave the way for that country to enjoy maximized trade with the U.S. as it enters the World Trade Organization and hosts the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November.

But this is a grave mistake. We, the undersigned, are writing to warn Congress and the American people that PNTR will not have the results that its promoters claim. This strategy has been tried before in China , and it has failed miserably, hurting the Chinese people and their effort for freedom, damaging the U.S. economy, and threatening the U.S. national security through helping China undertake a huge military buildup.

What free trade advocates promised

Politicians said that free trade with China would lead to freedom in China . They said that big markets would open up to U.S. business. They said that interaction and engagement would improve human rights.

Here's what actually happened:

- Freedom hasn't happened. Human rights haven't materialized. Talk of religious freedom is a mockery. The electric shocks, the beatings, all the variations of torture, the extortion, the prison labor camps, the violent crackdowns, the systematic and deadly religious persecution of Falun Gong and House Christians--these all continue.

- Every year, China responds to reports on human rights and freedoms by the State Department and organizations by criticizing the reports, telling the U.S. to mind its own business, and publishing its own reports on U.S. human rights. Unconditional trade means no annual review for renewal, and that means the U.S. has lost any leverage to back up its requests, which China now blatantly ignores.

- Money and cooperation from the trade have given China greater capability to control its citizens and crack down on dissent and persecuted groups, and have helped the Communists stay in power. The internet remains censored. Technology allows police to effectively and securely carry out actions against dissidents.

- Money from the trade has allowed China to undertake a military buildup and modernization so massive that China is currently ranked by the U.S. military as a near-peer competitor and is on the way to becoming a military superpower, while focusing on asymmetrical methods and weapons to fight U.S. forces.

- The U.S. economy has been damaged by the huge China trade deficit of $202 billion, while American workers must compete with cut-rate labor offered by the abusive, underpaid, and unsafe environment facilitated by the Communists. Meanwhile, China has invested in the U.S. dollar, gaining a dangerous potential tool for coercion.

The U.S. House of Representatives actually passed a resolution on human rights in China with the failure of trade in mind. The quote at the top of this letter from Rep. Chris Smith at the time of the passage of HR 530 expresses the frustration of legislators with the way trade did not bring about the promised results in China .

If PNTR for Vietnam is passed prematurely, here's what can be expected:

- The U.S. will lose leverage to pressure Vietnam on human rights. As a result, U.S. and NGO requests will be ignored, and human rights will suffer.

- The Vietnam government will be able to use greater technology to control its people and crack down on dissidents, thanks to money from trade. Corrupt officials will benefit economically from business and politically from U.S. endorsement of their regime.

- The U.S. economy will sustain even greater trade deficits and damage, U.S. industry will decline further, and the U.S. people will suffer from job loss and inflation.

- The Vietnam government will be able to easily sidestep weak human rights provisions and "guarantees," and ignore exhortations, using the same tactics as China has.

Dangerous misconceptions

There's a big corporate push for trade with Vietnam, there's pressure from the administration and State Department who are courting Vietnam as a new ally, and there's something else: many feel a vague sense of guilt or a desire to mend relations and put the war completely behind.

But we, the undersigned, want to stress that this sentiment is completely misguided and dangerous, although well-intended. If any guilt is present, it should center upon U.S. allies such as the Montagnards, Hmong, and South Vietnamese who fought with America against tyranny. When the U.S. withdrew and left the Communists in power despite a military victory, America 's Vietnamese allies were slaughtered. They had to flee, which is why so many of our U.S. communities are graced with Vietnamese immigrants. The persecution of the Montagnards, Hmong, and other allies, along with Christians and other religious groups, has continued to this day.

Vietnamese people deserve human rights and freedom, and U.S. allies deserve respect. We call upon you to remember your allies, to remember the suffering persecuted religious and ethnic groups in Vietnam as well as political dissidents.

Another misconception we hear is that America will "miss out" if PNTR is not granted quickly. Miss out on what, exactly? More trade deficits, more damage to American industries, more unfair trade and business practices? Washington must learn that it's only advisable to trade with mature, reasonable partners. China provided an excellent, thorough, and expensive lesson, the best education in PNTR that money can buy. If Congress wants to learn more in this area, get free tutoring from us; don't take another expensive remedial course from Vietnam .

Vietnam must change before trade; trade alone won't change Vietnam

Freedom and human rights must be prerequisites for free trade. That's not an unknown; it has already been tried with China , and the results are clear, from the situation in China to the statements in Congress. So why are some legislators in Congress preparing to make the same mistake again?

Prerequisites by definition come before, not after. Rewards are granted after behavior is demonstrated. The Vietnamese government is not ready for trade. It is not ready economically, politically, or in terms of democracy, freedom, and human rights. Many important things need to happen before Vietnam 's government can present itself as a worthy trading partner.

Instead of requiring freedom and human rights in Vietnam , promoters of PNTR are planning to do just the opposite--remove even the minimal protection offered by the Jackson-Vanik amendment.

Let us be absolutely clear. If anyone considers freedom of emigration too big a hurdle for a regime to jump over to gain free trade with the U.S. , he is not really serious about human rights, whatever he may say to the contrary. It's that simple.

And we will make sure that voters realize this. We will do our best to ensure that the American people, the constituents of Congress, understand this issue and what PNTR proponents want waived in order to trade with Vietnam .

No PNTR without human rights

Those of us in the China democracy movement have taken this lesson to heart. Many people listened to politicians and advocates who that this was the sure path to freedom. We, the undersigned, can tell you that this is not the path to freedom. We have watched China 's government grow rich and powerful, reforming the country economically but not politically.

We have the truth about PNTR, and the spirit of liberty, democracy, human rights, and justice speaks with us as we urge you to exercise wisdom and avoid rash actions. Withhold PNTR for Vietnam until freedom and human rights are in place, along with the trustworthy economic practices which will only accompany trustworthy governments.

Free trade works--when it's among free nations. It doesn't work with tyrants. Engagement without firm requirements leads to failure. We know this, and you know this. The U.S. has gone down this road before.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa stated, "We need to make sure that we aren't played for a sucker in the case of Vietnam , as we have been with China ." If Congress realizes the mistakes made with China PNTR, then legislators would indeed be suckers to set themselves up for a repeat of the disastrous China trade agreement.

Don't be a sucker. Don't sell out human rights for PNTR.

Oppose PNTR until the necessary prerequisites of freedom, human rights, and fair economic practices have been established by Vietnam --not waived by the U.S.

Sincerely,

 

The Undersigned

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Curry Kenworthy, Executive Director, China Support Network

Shengde Lian, Executive Director, Free China Movement

Terri Marsh, International Human Rights Attorney

Jared Pearman, Spokesman, Friends of Falun Gong