U.S. Congress Group Honors Beijing Dead | WaPo - Sept. 5, 1991 |

The incident came as the legislators were concluding an unusual visit organized by two dissident Chinese groups in exile -- the Massachusetts-based Democracy for China Fund and the Hong Kong Alliance for a Democratic China.

In their talks, the legislators told officials from the Justice, Public Security and Foreign ministries that the battle over most-favored-nation trading status for China is far from over. Democratic changes in the Soviet Union are likely to increase pressure in Congress to strip China of the trade status or at least impose tough human rights conditions on renewing it, they said.

"More and more in the Congress, there is the feeling that we have been pursuing a double standard . . ." said Miller at a press conference before the incident at the square. "Given the recent tremendous changes in the Soviet Union, for us to be in the position of saying the Soviet Union should not have MFN but China, which has not made these political changes, should, is becoming less and less defensible."

Most-favored-nation status grants countries the lowest possible import duties to the United States. According to one U.S. estimate, loss of such status would cost China about three-fourths of its exports to the United States -- a total estimated at $20 billion this year -- because of sharply increased tariff rates.

¹⁾ MFN: How It Lowers Your Shopping Bill. Adding tariffs and the upheaval of goods and logistics during the Corona pandemic is the major factor of today's inflation and rising cost of living. The War in Ukraine tops it off and most likely extends the economic hostilities for years.

'Huge Blow': Hong Kong Civil Society Group Disbands | VOA News - Sept. 25, 2021 |

'Sapere aude'