by Zhimin Wen

From: China-Net, Chinese Community Bulletin, April 29, 1996

The following project is initiated by two young Chinese professors in politics. We have to do something to halt the deteriotion of Sino-U.S. relationship. Please relay this message to those concerned. Thank you.

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Dear Colleagues and Friends:

We are planning to place an open letter in the New York Times in late May to call for an unconditional extension of China's MFN and immediate action to imporve U.S.-China relations. Huang Yasheng at Michigan and I have drafted this letter. We are circulating the letter to other Chinese professionals in this country. Please distribute the letter vie the Internet to your friends and colleagues. We are trying to raise $50,000 in the next two weeks to pay for the ad. If you have questions about this project, please e-mail your queries to the following addresses:

mpei@ariel.princeton.edu yshuang@umich.edu sunxiao@aol.com

haipei@tribeca.ios.com

We are going to set up a special bank account to process donations and will let you where to send the money. If you have other suggestions for us, let us know. Thanks,

Pei Minxin.

Text of the letter:

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Dear President Clinton and Members of Congress:

We, the undersigned Chinese students, scholars, and professionals studying and working in this country, express our grave concerns about the biases and misunderstanding in this country about China. We believe that misleading media reporting about China has contributed much to the recent deterioration in the U.S.-China relations.

In the media and public debate, China is often accused of egregious violations of human rights. We feel that there should be a balanced perspective. We hold to be self-evident that the most fundamental human is right to life. Through its intensive efforts, China has achieved enormous progress in improving the the lives of Chinese people.

The United Nations Human Development Report ranks China as a country that has gained a relatively high level of human wellbeing despite its economic scarcity.

Such improvement in human conditions is reflected in the following figures:

- - -- life expectancy has risen from 47 in 1960 to 70 in 1990;

- - -- infant mortality rate has fallen from 15 percent in 1960 to 2.9 percent in 1990;

- - -- adult literacy has increased from below 50 percent in 1950 to 80 percent in 1992;

- - -- ninety percent of the population has access to health services.

Since China opened to the world in 1978, its political and social stability has increased steadily. Most informed observers of China consider the past 17 years the most prosperous, peaceful, and freest era in recent Chinese history.

The current Chinese government has achieved greater improvements in the living conditions of its people than any of its predecessors, and many governments in other developing countries. Few Americans are aware of the cruel fact that China must support 22 percent of the world's population on only 7 percent of the globe's arable land and with 2 percent of the world's proven oil reserve. Most of our American friends may not remember that barely half a century ago, China was being ravaged by foreign invasion, civil war, and famine.

In contrast to those chaotic years during which there was no protection of the most basic human rights in China, consider the following undeniable facts of life in China today:

- - --Chinese people live a peaceful and stable life;

- - --Chinese income has quadrupled and 200 million people have been lifted above poverty in the last 15 years;

- - --The size of Chinese private economy is comparable to that of France or Sweden;

- - -- China is now the world's 10th largest trading nation;

- - --Chinese people are free to move, travel abroad, and choose jobs;

- - --Primary education is free and universal;

- - --Freedom of speech and access to information has expanded significantly in the last 15 years;

- - -- The rule of law is evolving; private citizens can sue the government for miscarriage of justice; defendants have rights to legal counsel;

- - --Majority of village leaders are popularly elected;

These economic, social, and political achievements explain why most public opinion polls in China indicate a majority of its people are satisfied with their lives and supportive of their government's policies of economic reform. We do not deny, however, that many important political reforms, especially the establishment of the rule of law, are needed. We urge the Chinese government to adopt such reforms because they will further safeguard its achievements.

We also sincerely urge the American public and leaders to recognize:

- - --China is changing toward a liberal and humane society;

- - --China and the United States have fundamental interests in common;

- - --the Chinese government is not as repressive as being portrayed in the American media; and

- - --Chinese people harbor good will and admiration for the American people.

We appeal to President Clinton and Members of Congress:

- - --To adopt a non-ideological, bipartisan, pragmatic and forward-looking approach toward China;

- - --To focus on the long-term common interests of both countries, rather than on the short-term differences;

- - --To implement, both in rhetoric and concrete action, a comprehensive engagement policy. This policy should include regular high-level dialogue, expanded trade and cultural exchanges, assistance in China's further integration into international institutions (such as admission into the World Trade Organization), and bilateral military exchanges to enhance mutual trust.

- - --To honor America's commitment to its one-China policy and leave the Taiwan problem to be settled peacefully by the Chinese people. We especially urge Congress to understand that a unilateral declaration of independence by Taiwan will definitely re-ignite China's suspended civil war. Taiwan's peace, prosperity, and freedom can only be maintained under the one-China framework and with China's increasing economic and political openness.

- - -- To extend China's MFN unconditionally and permanently; the MFN status is a pillar of Sino-American relations; it has been a powerful instrument for economic and social progress in China; it must not be held hostage to politics.

As the world's two great powers in the coming 21st century, the United States and China have an obligation to the international community to overcome their current difficulties and build a cooperative relationship based on mutual good will, shared interests, and understanding. American political leaders should view this task as one of history's greatest and noblest challenges and resist irresponsible calls for a needless and dangerous Cold War II with China.

As a group of Chinese who have lived, worked, and studied in this great country since Sino-American relations were normalized in 1979, we have a deeper and more objective understanding of these two societies. We pledge to play an active and constructive role in strengthening the good will and cooperation between China and the United States.