The Obami’s human-rights policy, even many liberals would concede, has been dismal. In essence, the policy has been to ignore human-rights issues when they conflict with any other objective — ingratiating ourselves with the mullahs, for example. And even when there is no apparent national-security objective to be gained, this administration seems intent on soft-pedaling human rights and accommodating tyrannical regimes. A case in point is Burma. In this report we learn:
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the U.S. will not impose conditions on Burma to force democratic changes there. But she also says existing sanctions will remain in place until the junta makes “meaningful progress” toward democracy in key areas. The United States has been urging the junta to hold fair elections, release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and allow her to return to political life. Clinton says “this has to be resolved within” the country by its people. She told reporters Wednesday “we are not setting or dictating any conditions.”
Got that? We want meaningful progress, but elections are left to be “resolved” internally. By whom — the despotic regime? We aren’t going to impose sanctions to encourage democratic changes, but we aren’t lifting existing ones. Yes, it’s embarrassing and verging on incoherent. And of course, when we behave in this pusillanimous fashion, we convey unseriousness to the Burmese government and to the people of Burma (who would like to look to us for political and moral leadership), but also to other like-minded regimes and oppressed people in other similar locales. The mullahs are watching, as are the Syrians and the Cubans. The Russians have figured out that we aren’t serious about this stuff. The North Koreans, as well.
In short, we have systematically degraded our standing and credibility in the world, giving a green light to tyrants who have little to fear and frankly much to gain (an envoy will visit them too) by continuing their current behavior. And what have we gained, and with whom have we restored our reputation? The smart-diplomacy mavens should tell us.
I feel like lobbying does more damage than good. Maybe it ought be outlawed. No more deep pockets pandering to our elected officials – they need to listen to their constituencies alone. The thought that Chinese manufacturers can buy American congressmen in order to poison our children / save money on capital expenses – whoa. I’d like to think our civilization has a few hundred left in her, but… whoa. Hold the phone, friends.
“Defective Chinese products have killed more people than al-Qaeda. ”
I’m curious how you could make that statement without showing the evidence and statistics to support your argument, Gordon. This is doubtlessly an irresponsible statement.
And what is it that inspired you to compare the lives lost as a result of Al Qaeda attacks with those claimed by defective Chinese products? Are you hinting that China deserves much more severe punishment than does Al Qaeda because of its hapless record? Or it is necessary to stem the influx of Chinese goods for they are more dangerous and fatal than WMD the terrorist group might possess? This is meaningless. It would only give ammunition to the trade protectionists and set back the advance of the free market principle, which you are supposed to embrace as a conservative.
I also admire your sangfroid (or indifference, more precisely?)when coming across such sentences as ” What Beijing does to its own citizens is, tragic though it may be, a problem for the Chinese. ” I used to look up to you as a decent man who would take pains to speak for those whose rights are being trampled. To my disappointment, you are only concerned about the health of your compatriots and don’t even bother to spare a modicum of pity and sympathy to your bretheren.
That’s disheartening. When Americans complain that the defective Chinese goods harm their health and kill their pets, Beijing’s officials would listen attentively lest they should lose the immense and lucrative market that fuels China’s economic growth. By contrast, when Chinese suffer with physical pains, maims and deaths brought about by the defective goods, seldom are they successful to lodge complaints and secure compensation to make up for the disfigured face, chopped limbs or lost lives. Is anyone in the States attending to the plight of those underdogs besides their own minor misfortunes?
Your words are like adding insult to injury, Gordon. If that’s truly your position, I feel sorry about it.
My arguably naive and uninformed question is, can we get more “transparency” in Chinese-US relations (and in our own political system) by conditionally permitting Beijing to materially bid for influence and our legislators to peddle it , or by categorically forbidding lobbyists to offer and legislators to accept gifts? Since I doubt it is practical or even constitutional to ban individuals in this country from merely asking government for favors, shouldn’t there be a way to keep track of proffered inducements? Frankly I’d prefer not to rely on the Justice Department (or an independent prosecutor) to keep me regularly informed if my government is on the take, and I don’t know if the media (old or new) is up to the job either. Then agan, if we permit our law-makers to live lavishly off lobbyists so long as they file regular reports, will they forget whom it is they are elected to represent — and, worse, will we forget to expect anything better?
Andreas, let me respond to the most important point you made in your comment as it raises the critical issue. I wrote that the effect of China’s defective goods on Chinese citizens in China is something the Chinese themselves will have to deal with. I believe this for various reasons. As an initial matter, the Communist Party is not going to permit any foreign government, no matter how friendly, to become involved in Beijing’s relations with its own citizens inside China.
Moreover, the problem with defective Chinese goods is not a technical or regulatory matter. China makes defective goods because it has a defective political system. When you have time, read this: http://www.nysun.com/article/58484
I want to see China develop a better system of governance, but let’s face it: American product-safety officials working in America are not in a position to turn China into a democracy. That, in the final analysis, is the only thing that will help the Chinese people. And the Chinese people are the only ones who can improve their own political system.
Thanks for your citation, Gordon. I’ve read your article and it did offer much food for thought. I totally agree with you on the point that China makes defective goods largely because the system within which substandard products are made is hopelessly corrupt and defective, in your words. And I think Chinese people have been increasingly disenchanted and skeptical about our government’s bona fides to enshrine people’s rights and establish a genuine rule of law, especially after the brick kiln scandal and many other similar deplorable infamies have been exposed. Those events are a cacophony of an allegedly “harmonious society”.
As long as the CCP lacks the good will to reform its system, Chinese people are bound to suffer as the primary victims the miserable results of the shoddy products our own factories manufacture. The dire situation now may have been alleviated a little temporarily , but one certainly should not hold sanguine views that this currently good trend will last much longer. In the long run, there seems to be no such thing as a prospect, a prospect of government’s accountability to citizens in which we might place some hope. Once such silver lining existed, but was soon dashed by tanks and gunshots in Tiananmen.
Indeed, Gordon raises a critical aspect that perfectly explains all the malaises China is now finding itself grappling with. But that sweeping generalizations has more to do with diagnosing the cause of the problem than with laying out the prescription to address those concerns. Without the external pressure, how can one imagine such a gigantic bulwark of dictatorship as China’s will automatically collapse or reform itself? Never forget how the massive ideas about freedom and democracy imported from the West, the United States in particular, had played a role in the lead-up to popular movements demanding democracy and erecting the Statue of Liberty in June, 1989. And never forget how the free flow of American goods, especially cultural goods, has transformed the way Chinese people live and think. Those are all evidences that external influence can sow the seeds of democracy on Chinese people’s mind and have proved to be an indispensable part in finally bringing democracy to China, if there remains a hope of getting the seemingly “mission impossible” done. And in doing so, relying solely on the Chinese people per se is not enough, the democratic project won’t be possible without the “nagging and prodding” of some friendly foreign governments. The United States should take the lead.
In some respects that’s what is exactly being done on the U.S. part. Your Congress sends a sobering and unequivocal message to Chinese leaders that it is high time they attached some importance to the quality of the “Made in China” exports or lose a fair share of this lucrative market. This will more or less increase the quality of the goods being made for the time being. And the beneficiaries include not only the American consumers, but also their Chinese counterparts.
Moreover, prior to the scandalous defective goods incident, seldom have Chinese seen such a torrent of scandals concerning food and pharmaceutical safety within merely one year. Though the past few years have seen quite a few of tragedies caused by adulterate milk powder and medicines, they are no match in scale and number for the cascade of scandals broken this year. Thanks to the efforts borne by some Western media to throw this inconvient truth to the spotlight, people within the border of China now raise their reasonable suspicion when shopping for daily necessities and become more and more concerned about the issue of public health. Their concerns, in turn, will urge the government to pay attention to food quality.
For those reasons mentioned above, continue your work of nagging and prodding.
Andreas, thank you for your especially important comments. Americans and other foreigners need to hear more of what you are saying.