Wes Hickman (202) 224-5972 or Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement on the US-China Trade Relations Top-to-Bottom Review. “I appreciate USTR and the Bush Administration’s willingness to aggressively engage China on a variety of issues that are creating tension. Whether it's currency manipulation, intellectual property theft, counterfeit goods or human rights abuses, China is going backward rather than forward. China needs to adopt human rights and economic policies that are consistent with the international community. “With well over one billion citizens, China can be a large market for American manufacturers to sell their products. However, if we are to realize the potential of this emerging market, we must have a comprehensive strategy to deal with China. This includes mechanisms to ensure that the Chinese play by the rules. “As a body, the Congress is growing more frustrated with China’s retreat from fair economic policies and human rights. I hope this new engagement strategy by the Bush Administration will prove beneficial to our nation.” #####