Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (NC) today announced that she has been appointed to the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). The commission was created in 2000 to monitor China's respect for human rights and the development of the rule of law in China, including China's compliance with its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization. The CECC submits an annual report to the President and Congress sharing its findings on China's compliance with, or violation of, human rights and its ongoing development of the rule of law. The commission consists of nine Senators, nine members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials.

"My top priority as a new member of the CECC is to stand up for American jobs and American workers," said Hagan. "North Carolina is a manufacturing state, and too often, when China doesn't play by the rules, our workers pay the price. I look forward to working with my fellow commission members to hold China accountable for their unfair trading practices and to ensure that workers in North Carolina and across the country can compete on the level playing field they deserve."

From 2001 to 2010, North Carolina lost nearly 108,000 jobs due to unfair trade with China. Since coming to the Senate, Hagan has fought for strong enforcement of trade rules to protect North Carolina's manufacturing jobs and crack down on unfair Chinese trade practices. In particular:

· Hagan cosponsored and helped pass the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act to address China's currency manipulation.

· Hagan has urged U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to support a strong "yarn-forward rule" in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement to ensure that North Carolina textile manufacturers are not exposed to unfair competition from Chinese textile makers.

· Last month, Hagan led a group of 31 Senators in sending a letter to the Department of Commerce in support of petitions filed on behalf of U.S. tire workers, who allege that Chinese tire companies are illegally subsidizing the manufacture of tires and dumping them on the U.S. market, undercutting U.S. tire producers and workers. Hagan supported a similar petition in 2009, which led to the U.S. imposing duties on imported Chinese tires until 2012.

· Hagan also supported True Religion Brand Jeans in its fight to secure its intellectual property rights in China. True Religion sources its denim from North Carolina, and when Chinese counterfeiters made jeans using foreign yarn and shipped it around the world with a counterfeit True Religion logo, it undermined the True Religion brand and affected denim production in North Carolina. Senator Hagan sent a letter to Vice President Joe Biden, urging him to take up the issue with the Chinese in direct talks. As a result, True Religion was able to secure its trademark in China and expand its denim orders from North Carolina.

"NCTO applauds Senator Hagan's appointment to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China," said Augustine Tantillo, President and CEO of the National Council of Textile Organizations. "It is important that those who support U.S. manufacturing work to end China's predatory trade and economic policies which continuously threaten U.S. manufacturing and employment. It is essential that these practices are addressed by Congress so that U.S. textile manufacturers are able to compete on a level playing field."

Additionally, as Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, Senator Hagan held a hearing to brief lawmakers on China's cyber espionage units and their growing theft of American technology and proprietary information.

Hagan has also cosponsored legislation that would strengthen U.S. efforts to combat human trafficking, including in China, which has a weak record on forced prostitution and labor, particularly of children.

"Senator Hagan is a dedicated and passionate advocate for human rights, and I've had the opportunity to work with her on a number of initiatives to combat human trafficking, including legislation that would ensure that this worldwide epidemic is a top foreign policy priority," said Kimberly Merida, North Carolina volunteer state leader for the International Justice Mission. "I am pleased that, by joining this commission, Senator Hagan has a new platform to give a voice to victims around the world and fight slavery and injustice wherever it may be."

"Since entering the World Trade Organization nearly 13 years ago, China has made an alarming lack of progress in protecting the basic human rights of its people, curbing the massive theft of intellectual property, and complying with international trade laws," Hagan added. "It is clear that meaningful reforms must be made to ensure China lives up to its commitments, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on policy recommendations that will hold them accountable while protecting American jobs and our national security."