Te Karere Ipurangi
Fiji Coup Supplement - May 26, 2000

May 26, 2000 - 1.00am
FIJI - There are other things happening in the world
karere@maorinews.com

 

For instance the US House has passed the China trade Bill, one of the most important planks in Clinton's foreign and trade relations platform:

24 May, WASHINGTON -- The House voted on Wednesday to normalise America's trade relations with China, approving a hard-fought measure that would end 20 years of annual congressional reviews of China's trade status with the US.

The House approved the legislation on a 237-197 vote after more than five hours of emotional debate.

The measure was approved with the support of 164 Republicans, comfortably over their target of 150 and 73 Democrats.

President Bill Clinton had worked through the day making phone calls to wavering lawmakers to try to attract Democratic votes.

The measure now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to have an easier time winning approval. -- AP, AFP

And while the mighty USA, self-styled bastion of democracy, holds out a friendly trade-weighted hand to unrelentingly undemocratic China, Australia and New Zealand are engaged in brow-beating and bullying a tiny republic in the Pacific for undemocratic behaviour.

Who might be next on their list for a good brow-beating and bullying? China perhaps?

 

[back to Fiji Coup Supplement]