This report tracks trends in and legislation considered by the 105th Congress in regard to China.

Congress is currently considering appropriations for U.S. contributions to the World Bank and other multilateral development banks (MDBs) as well as separate legislation that would require U.S. representatives to these institutions to oppose all concessional loans to China. This report provides a brief analysis of China’s relationship with the MDBs to highlight some issues and help Members of Congress, congressional staff, and observers better understand the context for the current debates in Congress and the multilateral agencies.

This report presents a history of U.S. economic sanctions imposed against the People's Republic of China for foreign policy reasons since 1949. It highlights sanctions that are currently active and details occasions on which those restrictions have been modified, waived or permanently lifted. The report provides citations for Presidential authority in current law and the Administration's issuance of regulations and administrative orders.

Two groups -- the President's Task Force on U.S. International Broadcasting (December 1991) and the Commission on Broadcasting to the People's Republic of China (September 1992) -- have both recommended that the United States increase broadcasting to China and other Communist countries in Asia, although the panels split on significant points for implementing their recommendations