Congressman Forbes Reacts to Meeting with President Hu Jintao

China Aid Association
Congressman J. Randy Forbes
Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Christy Boardman/Tinisha Weigelt
(202) 225-6365
Forbes Reacts to Meeting with President Hu Jintao

(WASHINGTON, DC – April 20, 2006) Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04), Founder and Chairman of the Congressional China Caucus issued the following statement on his reaction to today’s meeting with President of the People’s Republic of China, Hu Jintao.
“Today’s meeting with President Hu was one of many opportunities for dialogue on important issues such as intellectual property rights, the trade deficit, human rights and the need for transparency on the part of the Chinese government that I hope will continue into the future. As we have known for a long time, over- or under-calculation of strength on the part of China or the U.S. could lead to miscalculations and missteps. Discussions such as these help mitigate miscommunications and encourage understanding on the part of both nations.
“It is important that China follow through on its commitments to use legal software in its government and state-run facilities, address currency issues and the trade deficit. Most significantly, we as Americans must continue to demand that the Chinese government stop its persecution of the Christian faith. We need to keep a watchful eye on how the Chinese government deals with these initiatives, as this will be a major factor in how the United States’ relationship with China develops.
“I will continue to advocate for a National Strategic inter-agency staff to harness the collective energy and opportunities of our nation to prepare for the long-term impact of China’s rising power and influence around the world.
“In today’s meeting, I requested that President Hu permit me to lead a Congressional delegation to China that would have unfettered access to meet with Christian leaders who have been reportedly persecuted in China and report back the findings to the American people. In addition, I asked him whether he would publicly or privately agree to ensure that there would be no retaliation against U.S. businesses that bring complaints against China at the WTO or in any other forum.
“We are not sure whether China will be our greatest friend or worst enemy. But we must prepare for both and hope for the former. The Caucus continues to ask questions and encourages greater dialogue so that we can begin to answer many of the questions and unknowns about China.”
To interview Congressman Forbes, please contact Tinisha Weigelt at (202) 225-6365 or (202) 593-1407 to arrange a time.
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