Published by: World Tibet Network News, Thursday, Apr 18, 1996

WASHINGTON: Apr 18 (AFP) -- Senate Majority Leader and virtual Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole seems to be backing away from his support of China's ``most-favoured nation'' (MFN) trading status with the United States, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

After a meeting here with former president George Bush, a staunch supporter of MFN for China who recently completed a visit to Beijing, Mr Dole said he would be ``developing our position on (China's status) very soon''.

Like Mr Bush, Mr Dole has been a clear supporter of economic engagement to try to influence China's behaviour. Only a few days ago, Mr Dole's advisers had reaffirmed his position.

But Mr Dole has come under increased pressure from the right wing of his party to abandon the traditional Republican backing of MFN for China, the daily said.

Some Republicans have urged Mr Dole to turn the extension of trade privileges to China _ which comes up for its yearly renewal in June _ into a referendum on President Bill Clinton's dealings with China.

The aim would be to force Mr Clinton to veto a congressional resolution ending China's trading rights, which presidential aides recently admitted would be potentially embarrassing in an election year.

Mr Clinton has consistently favoured extending MFN to Beijing, despite complaints against China's human rights record, unfair trade practices and support of nuclear-weapons development programs in Pakistan.

And while Mr Dole is trying to make up his mind on MFN trading status for China, his former rival for the Republican presidential candidacy Pat Buchanan, plans a blitz against the policy. The television commentator planned to use a news briefing to attack Mr Clinton for his ``abject appeasement'' of China, the daily said.

In a transcript of his speech obtained by the daily, Mr Buchanan takes Mr Dole and other Republicans to task: ``It is time Republicans demonstrated that they loathe tyranny more than they love trade.''

Mr Buchanan called China a ``noxious, neighbourhood bully''. - AFP