And Now for the Bad News . . .
BORK, ELLEN
And Now for the Bad News . . . Trouble ahead in the U.S.-China relationship. BY ELLEN BORK "WE HAVE good relations with China, the best relations we've had with China in 30 years," Secretary of...
...BY ELLEN BORK "WE HAVE good relations with China, the best relations we've had with China in 30 years," Secretary of State Colin Powell has been saying recently...
...These problems will only be intensified by Beijing's ^ western development initiative, which includes a railroad connecting Lhasa with China's interior...
...Tibet has been under the heel of China since the 1950s, with tragic consequences...
...PROLIFERATION...
...At best, China has not used its considerable leverage as North Korea's main supplier of food and fuel, and continues to repatriate North Korean refugees to terrible fates...
...Even that gentle threat had an effect...
...Beijing distrusts Hong Kong's people, who supported Tiananmen Square protesters in 1989, and commemorate the victims of the massacre every June 4. In recent days, one Hong Kong group began a petition drive in support of Dr...
...That much was clear from the president's speech at the National Endowment for Democracy last November...
...Last but not least, the United States will have to face the contradiction between its opposi-V tion to proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in general and its tolerance for China's proliferation to states like Pakistan...
...Despite Bush administration hopes, the March 20 presidential election will not relieve tensions in the Taiwan strait or alleviate Beijing's pressure on Washington to lessen its support for Taiwan...
...Beijing isn't even a member of the Proliferation Security Initiative, the centerpiece of the administration's North Korea policy...
...Just a week ago, when China tried to insert a key demand of Pyongyang's into a statement during the latest six-party talks, President Bush intervened to say U.S...
...President Bush has made antiproliferation efforts a ^^ priority...
...patience was wearing thin...
...As evidence mounts of China's long history of providing nuclear technology and equipment throughout the world (as in Libya), and as Beijing pursues new activities (like its recent deal to build a second nuclear plant in Pakistan) against U.S...
...Last week, Secretary Powell hinted in testimony on Capitol Hill that the United States will renew efforts—suspended last year—to advance a resolution on China at the annual meeting of the U.N...
...not to lift its embargo on arms sales to China and signal a more serious U.S...
...The administration has very nearly chosen sides against the incumbent Chen Shui-bian as a result of Beijing's browbeating and its own secret fears that the one-China policy is hopelessly outdated...
...Starting in February 2003, the secretary of state and his spokesman began speaking of "setbacks," "deterioration," and "backsliding" in China's record, citing arrests of democracy activists, harsh sentences against Internet users and labor protesters, the execution of a Tibetan, forced repatriation from Nepal of Tibetan refugees, and actions against the media...
...Whether you agree with that assessment or not, the odds are several areas of conflict will soon make U.S.-China relations a lot rockier...
...Economic ties to the mainland that many hope will dull independence leanings in many cases have the opposite effect...
...Beijing's obliteration of Tibetan culture and the advancing age of the current Dalai Lama, who will be 69 in July, make winning autonomy and freedom for Tibetans urgent...
...While the Bush administration has continued a trend of giving higher priority to Tibet, it confines itself to urging "dialogue," rather than seeking concrete political objectives such as stopping the massive population transfers of ethnic Chinese, economic marginalization of Tibetans, environmental degradation, and the militarization of the Tibetan plateau...
...Shortly after Secretary Powell spoke, China sent Wang Youcai, a political prisoner, into exile here...
...In short, Washington will have to recognize that Beijing is an obstacle to, not part of, a solution in North Korea...
...democrats as unpatriotic will force Washington to take a stand...
...President Bush, with his strong support for religious freedom, will be unable to look away from what may be the last chance to protect Tibetan religion and culture from annihilation by the Chinese...
...Even the Nationalist camp now rejects the "pro-unification" label...
...The president, the Washington Post reported, "sent the curt directive after China sought to include in the statement a reference to North Korea's demand that the United States change its 'hostile policy.'" Moreover, according to the Post, the administration rejected another draft statement written by the Chinese "because it did not call for the 'complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement''' of North Korea's nuclear programs, a consistent requirement of the Bush administration's that China opposes...
...It has already subverted the Dalai Lama's selection of the Panchen Lama, the second most important figure in Tibet, who in 1995 was taken away by Chinese authorities and another boy given the position...
...But regardless of which candidate wins on March 20—Chen or the Nationalist Lien Chan—the Bush administration can expect tensions to persist...
...entreaties, strains between the two countries are bound to grow...
...NORTH KOREA...
...In his speech at the National Defense University in February, he unveiled a proposal to close a loophole in the Non-Proliferation Treaty that allows nasty regimes to produce nuclear material for bombs under the cover of civilian nuclear programs...
...China has plans to impose its own Dalai Lama when the current one dies...
...Human Rights Commission in Geneva...
...Beijing's flat rejection of democracy for Hong Kong and its heavy-handed threats against Ellen Bork is a deputy director of the Project for the New American Century...
...The Bush administration makes an exception for China when it comes to promoting democracy around the world...
...At worst, Beijing does Pyongyang's bidding...
...In fact, that recognition may be dawning...
...Others who have asked for such an acknowledgment by the party have gone to jail...
...TAIWAN...
...Jiang Yanyong, the courageous SARS whistleblower who has written to top Chinese officials asking them to reverse the Communist party's position on Tiananmen Square...
...policy on democracy and human rights...
...HONG KONG...
...Tensions are rising...
...But the administration has nevertheless set itself up for a confrontation with Beijing over human rights...
...Beijing cannot reconcile itself to Taiwan's deepening democratic character...
...HUMAN RIGHTS...
...Last summer, Beijing had to withdraw undemocratic national security provisions after well over 500,000 people marched against them...
...China will continue to build up its military capabilities...
...Beijing's system does no such thing, and Hong Kong's people are still voting and marching for real autonomy and democracy...
...Here are six issues that will cause Washington-Beijing ties to fray...
...TIBET...
...No matter how much the United States would like to stay on the sidelines, the president's expressed support for democracy will lead to conflict with Beijing...
...For years, Washington has tacitly accepted Beijing's terms for governing Hong Kong, pretending they allow autonomy and democratic development...
...In the coming months, it will be impossible for Washington to ignore the fact that Beijing is playing both sides of the street on the North Korean nuclear crisis...
...Meanwhile, Taiwan's population is developing a distinct Taiwanese identity...
...Beijing fears next September's legislative elections will return a majority of pro-democracy members...
...While China is getting more sophisticated at pretending to be on board with multilateral efforts on proliferation, it isn't...
...A U.S.-led resolution would increase pressure on the E.U...
Vol. 9 • March 2004 • No. 27
