CONGRESS MEMBERS FEEL HEAT ON CHINA.

Byline: Bill Hillburg Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - On the eve of today's expected vote on trade relations with China, eight undecided Southern California House members faced intense pressure as vital swing votes in a high-stakes political showdown.

With the vote on Permanent Normal Trade Relations too close to call Tuesday, several House members refused to reveal their positions on the treaty, which labor opposes and business supports.

An estimated 38 undecided members - including Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard; Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills, and Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles - hold the key to PNTR's fate. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, opposes the treaty and Rep. Howard ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, came out in support Tuesday.

``I've heard from hundreds of people on PNTR,'' said Berman after testifying before the House Rules Committee. ``But as with every major issue, I'm going to weigh the arguments and make my own decision.''

Berman declined to reveal his vote, but said he leans toward supporting the treaty if Congress reserves the right to revoke the trade status in the event China ever attacks or blockades Taiwan.

Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Montebello, also refused to reveal her vote, but said labor leaders are lobbying hard, and the White House invited her for an evening of arm-twisting with President Clinton and other PNTR supporters.

PNTR would allow trade between China and the United States to occur without annual reviews by Congress of trade status. The measure is backed by the Clinton administration, Republican leaders and businesses, but opposed by Democratic leaders, organized labor, anti-communists and human rights activists.

In the past 10 days, PNTR has gained support among Southland House members, including McKeon who previously was leaning toward support for PNTR.

``I am under no illusions about China being some kind of friend of the United States,'' McKeon said. ``It is a competitor and a potential adversary. But the best way to prevent China from becoming a wartime enemy is to increase our commercial ties with them.''

Other undecided Southland House members are Julian Dixon, D-Los Angeles; Stephen Horn, R-Long Beach; Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and Christopher Cox, R-Newport Beach.

A total of 218 votes are needed for passage in the 435-member House, which includes 222 Republicans, 211 Democrats and two independents.

PNTR is expected to easily pass the Senate, where backers include California Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

Other recently announced supporters include Reps. Gary Miller, R-Diamond Bar; and Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands; who had also been leaning toward ``yes'' votes; as well as former undecided members James Rogan, R-Pasadena, and Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, who is also a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles.

Five Southland House members, Sherman and Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino, have announced they will vote ``no'' on PNTR. That total has not changed over the past 10 days.

Berman was in the spotlight Tuesday as he urged the Rules Committee to add protection for Taiwan, saying China has not ruled out force to reunify Taiwan with the mainland.

``We should tell the Chinese clearly and well in advance that, if you use the military option (against Taiwan), you lose access to our markets,'' Berman said.

Berman was backed by Sherman, an announced PNTR foe, who said he testified in support of the Taiwan amendment ``in an effort to make a bad bill a little better.''

Citing China's human rights abuses and past violations of trade pacts with the U.S., Sherman also criticized PNTR supporters for ``making the argument that trade should happen, no matter what.''

Sherman also said he had received numerous lobbying calls about PNTR, but stressed that ``most of them have come from area code 202 (Washington, D.C.) and very few from back home in 818.''

The Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. David Dreier, R-Covina, a leading PNTR supporter, was expected to reject the Berman amendment and other attempts to modify PNTR. Dreier, who is leading the effort for House passage, said that today's showdown ``may be the most important vote in the history of our nation.''

Proponents argue that PNTR would trigger a number of new trade pacts, cause deep cuts in Chinese tariffs on U.S. imports and be a multi-billion dollar trade bonanza for Southern California's economy.

Hollywood's studios support the measure because they believe it would boost the number of films shown in China would from eight to 50 titles per year and open joint distribution and theater development deals.

Foes of PNTR have argued China cannot be trusted and increased trade would cut jobs in the U.S., especially in the fashion industry.

To answer those concerns, PNTR backers have provided for a congressional commission to monitor human rights conditions in China. The measure also calls for ongoing government reviews of China's trade practices and of its use of prison labor.

Where they stand

--YES: Reps. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita; James Rogan, R-Pasadena; Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara; Mary Bono, R-Palm Springs; David Dreier, R-Covina; Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles; Steven Kuykendall, R-Torrance; Ken Calvert, R-Corona; Gary Miller, R-Diamond Bar; Ed Royce, R-Fullerton; Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands.

--NO: Reps. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills; Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino; Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach; Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana; Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Los Angeles.

--UNDECIDED: Reps. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard; Julian Dixon, D-Los Angeles;Stephen Horn, R-Long Beach; Christopher Cox, R-Newport Beach; Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills; Grace Napolitano, D-Montebello; Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles; Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles.

CAPTION(S):

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Box: Where they stand (see text)