China Trade Bill Debate

* Re “China Citrus Business Could Mean Big Slice for Sunkist.” May 2.

Congressman Brad Sherman’s comments regarding Sunkist Growers’ support for improved trading relations with China and passage by Congress of permanent normal trade relations legislation illustrate the congressman’s fundamental misunderstanding of the World Trade Organization and China’s efforts to join a rules-based trading system.

No doubt Sunkist, and in fact all American citrus exporters, long for market access to the 1.3 billion Chinese consumers and the opportunity to export tons of California and other U.S. fresh citrus fruit.

The sensitive trade relationship between the U.S. and China is one of the most important reasons in America’s interest, and the interest of California citrus farmers, for China to enter the WTO. Until China joins the WTO, it will be able to do just what Sherman talks about--cut off access to the Chinese market in retaliation for conduct on unrelated issues like U.S. policy toward Taiwan. Contrary to Sherman’s conclusion, one important reason to support normalizing trade with China is that as a WTO member country, China will no longer be able to use trade benefits as a foreign policy weapon. WTO rules will prevent China from targeting American citrus fruit or any other U.S. export. If China should then dare to violate those rules, it will not face a trade dispute with the U.S. alone but with all members of the WTO.

The upcoming vote on trade with China supported by a strong and apparently growing bipartisan coalition led by President Clinton is too important for any members of Congress to be so clearly misinformed. Congressman Sherman may believe that the clear economic benefits to Sunkist and other California exporters may not be that important, but at least he should get his facts straight about what normal trade relations would really mean for future trade disputes with China.

R. CAMERON DRAINE

Camarillo