Posted on 10/30/2007 2:55:10 PM PDT by knighthawk
When it comes to Western governments' contacts with the Dalai Lama, China talks loudly, but carries a little stick. Every time a president or prime minister meets with the exiled spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet -- as Prime Minister Stephen Harper did yesterday -- the Chinese threaten severe repercussions, typically the fraying of the trade arrangements Western corporations covet so much because of China's 1.3 billion consumers. But critics who, on this basis, warn against official meetings with the Dalai Lama need to remember one thing: China needs bilateral trade every bit as much as the West, perhaps more so. That's why Beijing seldom follows up on its tough talk with anything more than a cancelled meeting or sharply worded letter.
Last week, U.S. President George W. Bush awarded the Buddhist monk -- who has lived in exile for 48 years -- the Congressional Gold Medal, America's highest civilian honour. China protested in advance, saying on the eve of the lama's visit to the White House that it was "strongly dissatisfied," and that if Washington did not cancel its plans there would be "an extremely serious impact." Yet, so far, all the Chinese have done is withdraw from a U.S.-led diplomatic summit discussing what to do about Iran's nuclear program.
Similarly, after the Chinese protested loudly about German Chancellor Angela Merkel's September meeting, the only tangible evidence of their displeasure was the cancellation of an annual German-Chinese meeting on human rights. Australia claims to have seen no consequences at all since Prime Minister John Howard's meeting with the Dalai Lama during the summer.
(Excerpt) Read more at canada.com ...
Ping
and I'll bet his first words were...
Hello, Dalai; well hello! Dalai!
ping
China isn't stable enough internally to piss off those 1.3 billion consumers by cutting them off from foreign goods and dollars. Little stick indeed. Big mouth limp stick.
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