THE Washington-based Sino American Trade Development Council issued an appeal in Hong Kong yesterday to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ignore the human rights issue and give China's bid fair consideration. In a letter sent on Monday to the IOC in Monte Carlo, council chairman Robert Goodman urged the committee to forget politics and concentrate on sport. Speaking at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Mr Goodman said China had been victimised by groups who had made human rights the ''buzz word'' of Beijing's Olympic bid. He claimed China had advanced considerably. ''I haven't seen anyone in China in over a year who wasn't feeling good about themselves. I have to keep believing every day it is going to get better,'' he said. ''I don't believe people in China are being denied food, water and shelter. Human rights are very important but how long does it take to solve them?'' Mr Goodman criticised the US House of Representatives' resolution opposing China's bid. He said the resolution had been interpreted incorrectly and was a vote for human rights - not a right to stage an Olympiad. He said the vote did not reflect America's attitude to the Games in Beijing. ''If you take a vote in America I think Americans would love to come to China,'' he said. ''Legislators and congressmen don't get beyond their VIP rooms and get to the little people.'' The council is involved in forging small-business links between China and America. Mr Goodman said he did not think China's progress would slow if Beijing lost the Olympic bid. His letter states: ''To give them the Games will only serve to encourage them. Denying them the Games will not help anyone. Surely with over one billion people China should get a turn to hold the Olympic Games.''
