Over the past academic year, I have had the honor to work alongside Dr. Elizabeth Ingleson of the Department of International History on the project titled “Trade, Human Rights, and U.S.-China Relations: 1979-2001.” This research project aimed at examining the relationship between trade and human rights within the U.S.-China relationship beginning in 1979 and concluding with 2001, critical turning points for the U.S.-China trade relationship. This project stemmed from Dr. Ingleson’s future book project, China and the United States Since 1949: An International History. The project focused on the types of human rights that U.S. Congressional debates focused on from different periods: civil and political rights on one hand, and economic, social, and cultural rights on the other hand. The research that I conducted consisted of a literature review, where I first identified the core books and articles addressing the research topic. As part of my research work, I also reviewed key chapters from Dr. Ingleson’s current book project.
Methods
The method I employed in my research was to conduct of literature review of the both primary and secondary literature on US-China relations in respects to China and human rights, US-China relations and human rights, and China trade and human rights. I first identified a list of books and articles grouped under those three category headings. With Dr. Ingleson, I then read the subsequent literature to understand the core themes, ideas, and information that was relevant to our project.
Findings
Through my readings, I discovered a few key findings. The project’s start date in the pre-Tiananmen era is critical to the project, therefore Dr. Ingleson and I prioritized primary and secondary sources that were written during or about pre-1989 US-PRC relations, trade, and human rights. There are five key findings from my literature review:
1. Pre-1989 US-PRC Relations and Human Rights:
- Prior to Tiananmen, criticism of the People's Republic of China (PRC) regarding human rights was limited due to factors such as lack of information, restricted access for NGOs and journalists, political biases, and limited lobby groups in China.
- Unofficial documents written in Chinese during a period of relative political freedom of expression from November 1978 to March 1979 provide valuable insights.
2. Shift in Chinese Human Rights Policy:
- In the 1990s, China began to “talk the talk of human rights” while the gap between rhetoric and reality widened.
- Human rights INGOs, such as Amnesty International, played a significant role in highlighting the CCP’s suppression of activists and intellectuals, shifting international attention.
3. Evolution of US Trade Policy:
- From 1974 to 1994, the U.S.experienced a period of "conditional protectionism" with ambiguities and oscillations over free trade.
- Under the Reagan administration, the U.S.moved towards a free trade policy.
- Developing countries' acceptance of free trade and the role of grassroots labor and environmental groups, as well as corporate lobbying efforts, were important factors in the U.S. shift from managed trade to free trade.
4. Economic Changes in China:
- In the late 1980s, price liberalization in urban areas led to high inflation, which was attributed to a rural bias by CCP officials.
- The economic chaos following the Tiananmen events in 1989 slowed the economy, but it changed again in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
- Deng Xiaoping's policies shifted China's economic focus from rural and domestic consumption to urban-coastal and export-driven growth by the 1990s
5. MFN Status and U.S.-China Trade:
- International trade between the U.S.and China during the Clinton administration was regulated by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Most Favored Nation (MFN) status.
- Granting MFN status to China became a contentious issue due to the CCP's human rights abuses, especially after Tiananmen.
- Congress attempted three times between 1990 and 1992 to add human rights conditions to the renewal of MFN status.
- Ending MFN status would result in increased tariffs on Chinese goods and a halt in U.S.-China trade, impacting China's export market.
Within the broader overview of this project, the findings of my literature review will provide Dr. Ingleson with a comprehensive overview of the existing body of knowledge and research on the subject matter. It will help position the book project within the broader academic discourse and provides a concise review of previous studies, theories, and arguments related to trade, human rights, and U.S.-China relations between 1970 and 2001.
Throughout this year of working with Dr. Ingleson has been deeply enriching for my personal and academic growth. Due to this research position, I was invited to an invitation-only seminar on U.S.-China relations, where I engaged with Professor Yasheng Huang and other scholars in discussing “U.S.-China Relations: What went wrong and what could go right.” Being able to engage on this level with expert scholars, especially Dr. Ingleson, was profoundly impactful for my personal growth in confidence in my academic abilities. I am grateful for all at the U.S. Phelan Center and to the lovely Dr. Ingleson who have made this experience possible.