Stephen Yates

All Publications by Stephen Yates
  • WebMemo posted February 18, 2009 by Stephen Yates, Walter Lohman Secretary Clinton's Asia Trip: Getting China Right

    Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to China (February 20-22) caps off her groundbreaking first official trip abroad. By visiting Asia first, Clinton has provided an encouraging sign that she understands the region's importance to America's future and the central role that American leadership plays there. In her speech to the Asia Society prior…

  • Executive Memorandum posted September 11, 2000 by Stephen Yates Better U.S. Treatment of Taiwan

    Taiwan, long a special case when it comes to U.S. foreign policy, deserves better treatment at the hands of the Clinton Administration. Though its government is not officially recognized by the United States, a far-reaching U.S. law--the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act--calls for maintaining extensive legal, commercial, and defense relations with the people…

  • Backgrounder posted May 5, 2000 by Stephen Yates, Larry Wortzel, Ph.D. How to Trade with China Benefits Americans

    The debate in Washington over granting permanent normal trade relations (NTR) status to China has been fractious. Conservatives and liberals disagree, even among themselves, over whether increased trade with China will effect improvements in its human rights record, religious freedom, fair labor practices, or security concerns. Now the President is asking Congress to…

  • Executive Memorandum posted March 31, 2000 by Larry Wortzel, Ph.D., Stephen Yates What the Election in Taiwan Should Mean to Washington and Beijing

    Americans should celebrate the results of Taiwan's March 18 presidential elections. In a hotly contested democratic election, the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian, a former mayor of Taipei who was defeated in the 1998 mayoral election and who ran as the candidate of an opposition party…

  • Executive Memorandum posted March 10, 2000 by Stephen Yates Permanent Trade Relations with China: Necessary Steps for Congress

    The Clinton Administration is calling on Congress to extend China's normal trade relations (NTR) status on a permanent basis at the earliest possible date. The Administration sent proposed language for such action to Capitol Hill on March 8. It is important that any legislation eventually approved by Congress enables the United States to benefit…

  • Executive Memorandum posted February 29, 2000 by Stephen Yates China's Taiwan White Paper Power Play

    China's recent rhetorical assault on Taiwan is a tutorial for the Clinton Administration on one important principle: You reap what you sow. Administration officials were shocked that, less than 24 hours after the State Department's latest peace mission to China, Beijing unleashed a lengthy White Paper that harshly criticizes Taiwan's democratic leaders, changes…

  • Executive Memorandum posted February 11, 2000 by Stephen Yates Time to Act on Taiwan's Security

    On February 1, the House of Representatives sent a powerful message to China, Taiwan, and President Clinton that the status quo is no longer acceptable in U.S. policy toward Taiwan. By an overwhelming and bipartisan 341-70 vote, the House passed the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act (H.R. 1838), strengthening America's ability to fulfill the…

  • Executive Memorandum posted December 9, 1999 by Stephen Yates U.S. to China: Join the WTO, But Real Work Lies Ahead

    After 13 years of negotiations, the United States and China have agreed to terms on China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). A similar deal expected with Canada and the European Union makes China's accession to the WTO nearly inevitable. Although Congress's approval is not required in this process, Members of Congress have…

  • Executive Memorandum posted January 25, 1999 by Stephen Yates China's Democracy Crackdown Demands a Presidential Response

    At the end of his trip to China from June 25 to July 3, 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton praised the Chairman of China's Communist Party, Jiang Zemin, as a visionary and the right leader at the right time for China. Unfortunately, within six months of this statement, the same leader President Clinton…

  • Asian Backgrounder posted June 25, 1996 by Stephen Yates Why Renewing MFN for China Serves U.S. Interests

    (Archived document, may contain errors) No. 141 June 25, 1996 WH-Y RENEWING MFN FOR CHINA SERVES U.S. INTERESTS INTRODUCTION On May 20, President Bill Clinton announced his intention to extend unconditionally China's most-favored-nation trade status for another year. At the end of this month, Congress will…