President Clinton must decide by June whether to renew China's trade status.
International President Clinton renewed China's favored trade status and said he would no longer use trade to force China to improve human rights.
The reports, which have begun to circulate in Congress and the Clinton Administration, could lead to a decision not to renew China's beneficial trade status.
Some said it left President Clinton little room to renew China's trade status, a step that has been advocated by some in the Administration.
Top advisers to President Clinton recommended today that he renew China's favorable trade status, Government and human rights officials said this evening.
When President Bush renewed China's trade status last year, the House voted to disapprove the renewal.
But supporters and opponents of renewing China's trade status differed sharply on how to influence China.
The Senate's action clears the way for President Bush to renew China's most-favored-nation trade status this summer.
President Clinton will renew China's favorable trade status but called for further progress on human rights.
He achieved bipartisan support in the Congress to renew China's most-favored-nation trade status without conditions this year.
