Ashcroft sits fence, votes for China

Senator Ashcroft has voted with the vast majority of Senators in supporting free trade with China. Ashcroft hadn’t declared which way he was leaning before the vote in Washington. He says the benefit to business owners and farmers finally persuaded him and he hopes the assertion of supporters that free trade will undermine a regressive regime proves true. Ashcroft expressed concern about the human rights abuses by the Chinese government, especially its record of suppressing religious expression.