WASHINGTON-Prospects are improving for increased wireless trade with the world’s two most populous nations as Congress prepares this week to approve landmark China trade legislation and diplomatic relations between the United States and India warm.
The Senate last week began debate on a bill to extend permanent normal trade relations status to China, a measure that would end Congress’ annual review of U.S.-Sino trade and open the giant emerging Asian market of 1.3 billion people to liberalized trade in wireless equipment and services.
The fireworks last week were provided by an unlikely ideological mix of lawmakers, including Sens. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.) and Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), who offered amendments linking U.S.-China trade to China’s record on human rights, labor rights, the environment and religious freedom.
Senate members also have concerns about alleged nuclear spying by China, alleged illegal political contributions from Chinese entities to the ’96 Clinton-Gore campaign, military sales by China to Pakistan and China’s treatment of Taiwan.
Many senators said-flat out-they would vote against any amendment to the China trade bill. The fear is the addition of amendments would send the measure to a House-Senate conference committee, something they argue would effectively kill the measure this year. The China trade bill passed by the House in May did not include amendments.
A final vote by the Senate is expected this week. Motorola Inc., Lucent Technologies Inc., Qualcomm Inc. and other wireless firms have made inroads into China in recent years.
On a separate front this week, the anticipated visit by Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Washington could help improve trade relations between the United States and India, a nation of more than 1 billion people that, like China, lacks a telecom infrastructure to support its population and appears inclined to embrace wireless technology to help fill that void.
While the United States and India do not see eye to eye on a number of high-profile political issues, high-tech development provides common ground for continued dialogue.
While India has moved to open its monopoly long-distance market to competition, a move reportedly advocated by American telecom firms, the Indian government remains industry’s biggest problem. The combination of nationalism, protectionism and isolationism, according to experts, hurts India and foreign exporters alike.
The issue of increasing H1B visas for high-skilled foreign workers is expected to come up in talks between President Clinton and Vajpayee.
With a growing shortage of high-tech workers in a U.S. economy increasingly fueled by mobile phones, the Internet and other information technologies, there is aggressive lobbying to have Congress pass high-tech visa legislation this year.
Telecommunications Industry Association President Matthew Flanigan, in a letter sent last week to Congress and the White House, said that “giving American companies more access to the best and brightest talent around the world is an absolutely critical step in keeping our own economic engine humming.”
Elsewhere, Clinton late last month announced a U.S.-Nigeria trade initiative that includes U.S. technical support and calls for a study on how Nigeria can manage spectrum to expand wireless communications development in the African nation.
