Bill Bradley on China
No reason to think of China as an enemy
China is the fastest-rising power in the world. There’s no reason to think of China as an enemy. It is evolving into a more open society as it adopts the rules and attitudes of a market economy. We believe that democracy will provide a better future for
China’s people.Now that we’ve granted China normal trading relations on a permanent basis, we’re in a position to open its markets not only to American products, but also to American ideas. Accepting China’s membership in the WTO will be good for
economic and political stability world-wide. We acknowledge that there is one China, but we should resolutely oppose the People’s Republic of China’s use of military threats to impose control over Taiwan. The resolution of the Taiwan issue depends on
patience, negotiation, and democratization, not coercion or threat. It’s not within our power or our rights to dictate the pace or patterns of China’s political development, but when China oppresses its own people, we will not be silent.
Source: The Journey From Here, by Bill Bradley, p.145-46
Aug 15, 2000
Keep tabs on China using WTO
Q:To what extent would you commit American military power to defend Taiwan?
A: There’s another dimension to our relationship with China. It’s the economic dimension.
I’d rather have China inside the world-trading system, subject to multilateral rules than I would have China outside the system making bilateral deals and playing one country off against another.
Source: Democrat debate in Los Angeles
Mar 1, 2000
Be direct with Taiwan & China: Maintain status quo
Q: How do we balance defending Taiwan, against the many business interests that want favored trade status with China? A: We should say to the Taiwanese, any direct and serious moves towards independence would jeopardize our support for them. We ought to
say to the Chinese, under the Taiwan Relations Act, we are required to take appropriate responses and that we would take appropriate responses if they decided, militarily, to move onto the island of Taiwan. The balance here is very important.
Source: Town Hall Meeting, Nashua NH
Dec 18, 1999
Cox Report: Focus on security lapse, not espionage
The espionage at Los Alamos is serious. The administration has admitted that it didn’t act quickly enough. And I think that those who are guilty need to be punished. At the same time, we have to have a little perspective here and then we have to
recognize that espionage takes place in the world. Even we, from time to time, commit espionage. So I think that the key thing here is the security lapse, not the fact that espionage takes place.
Source: NBC’s “Meet the Press”
Aug 1, 1999
Reaffirm “One China,” but defend Taiwan
The US should say to the Taiwanese government that if they take steps toward independence, they cannot count on us for any help. At the same time, we should be clear to the People’s Republic that if, in the absence of those steps toward independence,
they take actions that would be in a military nature toward Taiwan, that we would be there. The one nation, one China is an important policy to be reaffirmed. But as it stands now, if the Chinese invaded Taiwan, we are committed to help Taiwan.
Source: NBC’s “Meet the Press”
Aug 1, 1999
Voted against MFN & for linkage to human rights
Voting record on trade issues:- Voted YES to tie China trade status with human rights. (HR 5318, 10/1/92).
- Voted YES to condition most-favored-nation trade status for China on human-rights progress. (HR 2212, 3/18/92)
Source: Project Vote Smart -- Voting Record
Oct 1, 1992