1.   Barshefsky said the products would be assessed with normal tariff rates until Argentina improves its intellectual property protection.

2.   MFN allows countries to export to the U.S. under normal low tariffs.

3.   MFN permits countries to trade with the U.S. under normal low tariffs.

4.   Most-favored-nation status, available to most countries on a reciprocal basis, allows goods to come into the U.S. under normal low tariffs.

5.   Most favored nation status allows products to enter the U.S. under normal low tariffs.

6.   Nearly all U.S. trading partners have MFN, which allows them to export products to the United States under normal low tariffs.

7.   The big issue remains the granting of most-favored-nation trading status, which permits products into the U.S. under normal low tariffs.

8.   The trade privilege allows Chinese companies to export products to the U.S. under normal low tariffs.

9.   An inter-agency team will travel soon to Vietnam to negotiate a trade agreement, which would then lead to the granting of normal tariff rates for Vietnamese products.

10.   If the Clinton initiative is accepted by Congress, China no longer would depend on annual congressional approval to ship its products to the United States at normal tariffs.