WASHINGTON, November 7: US lawmakers showed themselves increasingly hostile toward Beijing on Thursday, voting to ban some Chinese officials from the United States despite pleas that the action could harm Sino-US relations.A week after Chinese President Jiang Zemin held what he considered to be a successful US summit here, members of the House of Representatives both ridiculed his visit and rejected President Bill Clinton's policy of ``constructive engagement'' with Beijing.Making headway through nine China-related Bills - which were not considered last week out of deference to Jiang - Republicans and Democrats voted overwhelmingly to deny US visas to Chinese Government officials involved in implementing policies persecuting religious minorities as well as officials of Chinese Government-sanctioned religious groups.The same officials would also be barred from receiving funds to travel to the US through State Department and Agency for International Development Programs.Exempt from the visa ban would be the Chinese head of state and Cabinet-level officials.White House officials warned that such a visa ban could result in retaliation on the part of Beijing, which could deny visas for US missionaries.The Bill on Religious Persecution was approved 366-54. Two hours later, the House voted 415-1 to approve a similar visa ban on Chinese officials involved in forced abortion and sterilisation.Those Bills and two others approved Wednesday will not be considered by the Senate until early next year. ``Reports of forced abortion and sterilisation in China rank among the worst human rights abuses in the world,'' said Republican Representative Tillie Fowler.``As the haven of individual freedom and personal rights, the United States has an obligation to lead the crusade to end these abominable practices against women,'' she said.
