5/22/00

ATR Urges Congress to Normalize Trade Relations with China

WASHINGTON-  Americans for Tax Reform today urged Congress to vote in favor of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China.

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, issued the following statement on PNTR:

"All tariffs and other barriers to free trade are taxes.  The people who bear such taxes are never the governments who impose them, they are taxpayers and businesses who rely on traded goods and services for their economic well being.

"Normalizing America's trade relations with China will benefit American producers and consumers.  It will allow them to reap the benefits of open markets, with lower prices, more job creation in the export sector and higher economic growth.

"China will benefit in more than economic terms.  Greater exposure to American goods and services will add to the tremendous social change already being experienced in that country.  Free markets help create free minds."

A study released last week by the General Accounting Office shows that U.S. workers and businesses will save over $1 billion annually in reduced tariffs and quotas on the products they export to China.

ATR also announced that it will score the vote on PNTR with China in its 2000 Congressional ratings.