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HR 1634 105th Congress House

To set forth certain principles that should be adhered to by any United States national conducting an industrial cooperation project in the People's Republic of China or Tibet.

Introduced: May 15, 1997 Introduced by: Smith, Christopher H. Republican · New Jersey See on congress.gov
International Affairs Armed Forces and National SecurityArrestBusiness ethicsChina
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Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCivil-military relationsCommerceCrime and Law EnforcementDemocracyDetention of personsDisciplining of employeesDiscrimination in employmentDismissal of employeesDissentersEast AsiaEmployee rightsEnvironmental ProtectionEnvironmental healthEthnic relationsForced laborForeign Trade and International FinanceFreedom of associationFreedom of speechGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment and businessGovernment paperworkHealthHuman rightsImport restrictionsIndustrial pollutionJoint venturesLabor and EmploymentLawMinoritiesNonviolenceOccupational health and safetyPolitical persecutionPolitical prisonersPrison laborPrisonsPublic demonstrationsPublishers and publishingReligionReligious libertyRight of assemblySex discriminationTibetTortureTrialsWomen
This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 22, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
May 22, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
May 15, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
May 15, 1997
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 22, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Expresses the sense of the Congress that U.S. nationals conducting industrial cooperation projects in China or Tibet should adhere to certain principles (known as the Harry Wu Principles). Declares that they should: (1) suspend the use of any merchandise that they have reason to believe was produced by convict or forced labor, and refuse to use forced labor in their projects; (2) seek to ensure that political or religious views, sex, ethnic or national background, or association with dissidents will not prohibit hiring, lead to harassment, demotion, or dismissal of an individual employed in the industrial cooperation project; (3) ensure that methods of production used in the projects do not pose unnecessary danger to workers and the surrounding neighborhoods and environment; (4) strive to use business enterprises that are not controlled by the government of China; (5) prohibit any military presence on the premises of the project; (6) promote freedom of association and assembly among the employees of the U.S. national; (7) urge the government of China to disclose a complete list of those individuals arrested since March 1989, end incommunicado detention and torture, and provide international observers access to places of detention in China and Tibet and to trials of prisoners arrested in connection with the pro-democracy events of April through June, 1989, and the pro-democracy demonstrations in Tibet since 1987; (8) discourage or prevent compulsory political indoctrination programs from taking place on project premises; (9) promote freedom of expression of all kinds; and (10) prevent harassment of workers who decide freely the number and spacing of their children, and prohibit compulsory population control activities on the premises of the project.

Directs the Secretary of State to forward a copy of these principles to the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and encourage them to promote similar principles.

Directs each U.S. national conducting an industrial cooperation project in China or Tibet to register with the Secretary and indicate whether they agree to implement such principles.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1634: To set forth certain principles that should be adhered to by any United States national conducting an industrial cooperation project in the People's Republic of China or Tibet.. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1634/
MLA
"H.R. 1634: To set forth certain principles that should be adhered to by any United States national conducting an industrial cooperation project in the People's Republic of China or Tibet.." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1634/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1634, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1634/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1634: To set forth certain principles that should be adhered to by any United States national conducting an industrial cooperation project in the People's Republic of China or Tibet.](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1634/)
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