The AFL-CIO'S Impact On The Sino-U.S. Relation

The AFL-CIO organization are merged by the two largest trade unions of the United States . The AFL and CIO held mergence meeting in New York in 1995, named the AFL-CIO. After the AFL-CIO is merged ,it is the biggest labor union of the United States. The first President of the AFL-CIO is George Meany. In the initial stage of the merger, the AFL-CIO experienced its golden development period. With the decrease of "blue collar worker" , the AFL-CIO was more and more fading during the 70--80 years of the 20th century. After Sweeney came to power ,he took various measures to attract new members and the AFL-CIO had development potential during the mid-1990s. But it is difficult for the AFL-CIO to regain its former glory.Under not relieving political condition of the United States ,the AFL-CIO can affect not only the domestic political life but also foreign policy of its. The Sino-U.S. relation is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world. The impact of the AFL-CIO on the Sino-U.S. relation is negative but enormous.This paper discussed not only the reasons and concrete expressions and constraints of the AFL-CIO's influence on the Sino-U.S. relation but also the reasons and solutions of anti-China. The paper attempted to analyze the AFL-CIO's negative impact on Sino-U.S. relation. The article is divided into four main parts :Part One : The author briefly introduced the basic situation of the AFL-CIO.The author also discussed the reasons for the AFL-CIO′s influence on the Sino-U.S. relation. The AFL-CIO is an important political force in the political life of the United States and representatives of the interests of labor in the political and diplomatic of the United States. The Constitution of the United States is the basis which the AFL-CIO relies on to exist. The American Constitution entures freedom of association, which provides the AFL-CIO with legal protection for its formation and expression of interest. The power structure of separation of the three powers opens the door for the AFL-CIO to influence the Congress and government departments in the United States .Part II : Primarily through examples, the author analyzed the AFL-CIO′s impact on Sino-U.S.relation.What conspicuously shows the AFL-CIO′s impact on the Sino-U.S.relation are "most- favored- nation status"and "human rights" and "appreciation of the RMB" .What the AFL-CIO has most concerned is PNTR on the Sino-U.S. relationin in recent years .The struggle about PNTR has lasted ten years.The AFL-CIO has provided a lot of manpower and material resources and financial resources to lobby the government and Congress.It has made an attempt to obstruct China's PNTR status and disrupt the normal trade relations between China and America. The AFL-CIO's activities have been contained by the powerful industrial and commercial alliance. Although the PNTR has suffered setbacks, however, Senate and the House of Representatives finally have passed the proposal to grant China normal trade status. The AFL-CIO not only concerns about the rights of workers of the manufactoring industry in the United States ,but also pays attention to the labor rights of Chinese workers. The AFL-CIO has put pressure on the Congress and government through various channels, calling for the appreciation of the RMB. Because of the tremendous impact of the organized CCC by the AFL-CIO ,the government and Congress in the United States have exerted their influence on the Chinese government.Under these circumstances, RMB is forced revalue within a narrow range in 2005.Part III : Although the AFL-CIO has an enormous impact on the Sino-U.S. relation,however, there are many factors which confine its effect.The AFL-CIO appears well organized, in fact, it has no control of the specific operation of its subsidiary labor union and it can not form a single strong voice in the organized labors. In relation to a specific issue of the Sino-U.S. relation, there is interest contention between the AFL-CIO and the other interest groups. There are sometimes some differences between the group interests of the AFL-CIO and the national interests of the United States. All these factors has limited the AFL-CIO's negative impact on the Sino-U.S. relations.Part IV : At last ,the author analyzed the reasons for the AFL-CIO′s anti-China and measures to be taken. The AFL-CIO holds a stubborn anti-China position.The author thinks there are two reasons for its anti-China .Firstly, the AFL-CIO holds a strong sense of anti-communist. Secondly, the AFL-CIO opposes the liberalization of world trade.In view of this, we should hold a positive attitude and take active measures to minimize the negative impact on Sino-U.S. relation.