Posted on 06/03/2005 9:31:36 AM PDT by XR7
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned on Friday that China's failure to match economic freedoms with democratic reforms could raise tensions and undermine its growing influence in the world.
On way to a regional security conference that is expected to focus on China and North Korea, Rumsfeld drew a stark contrast between China and India, the world's largest democracy, which America is courting as a counter-weight to the communist nation.
"We anticipate that the relationship with India will continue to be strengthened. With respect to China, it's not completely clear which way they are going because you have the tension I characterised between the nature of their political system and the nature of their economic system," he told reporters.
But Rumsfeld also said he is making plans for his first visit to China as Pentagon chief later this year.
Rapidly improving U.S.-India ties are driven largely by relations between the two militaries, while the Pentagon's ties with China's army, badly damaged by the EP-3 surveillance plane incident in April 2001, are just now "evolving again in a way that's appropriate for the times," Rumsfeld said.
He also said the administration was re-examining its policy toward North Korea, which in February announced it possessed nuclear weapons and may be preparing a nuclear weapons test.
Rumsfeld gave no details but another senior U.S. official, asked how much to make of the comment, told Reuters: "A lot."
french only hurts if you believe it.
I know, but I am kind of kinky that way.
If we "step out", who will manage the Pakis? The chicoms?
Live one at #20!
Take off your red colored glasses. Freedom is unstoppable!
I suppose the PRC teaches that anybody who defends the U.S. honorably is a "warmonger" and "shameless liar". Bet you would have said the same about Winston Churchill. Care to specify any particular "lies" Rumsfeld is guilty of? Meanwhile, we should also go through a litany of Chinese lies about its territorial sovereignty claims to Tibet, Northern India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, the Spratley Islands, Phillipines, Guam, Australia...and oh, yeah, Taiwan. Or how about the lies about how "poor" China is.
And the West has infinitely more credibility about the Chinese oppressions since Tiannamen Square and the vast Laogai concentration camps than any member of the Bejing Thought Police any day of the week. Tell us how the Chinese have perfect freedom to criticize the Communist Party on their walled-off internet. Tell us how freedom of speech is merely a corrupt Western idea, and not culturally accepted at all by oriental cultures.
Got any more whoppers? The PLA and CSIS is full of them.
Get the COW!
China is a thug-ocracy. It has been responsible for the murder of more people than all of the other dictatorships of history combined, including Hitler and Stalin. A handful of piss ant bullies at the top of the Communist party have intimidated their own citizens through brutal police actions, purges, reeducation campaigns, murders, forced abortions, penal labor camps, suppression of religion and confiscations. You need to focus your anger not at Rumsfeld for saying it, you should focus it at the slap-dicks who are doing it.
He will not even be safe inside a bunker. Not when mr. B-61-11 comes along :)
Pinging somone who has been there and knows China first hand
IN BEFORE THE ZOT!
Every single troll is an ENEMY OF THE REPUBLIC!
Since the name obvious comes from Dell I say this to inspiron: "Dude you're gettin' a zot!"
Bet he's getting paid to post by those "slap-dicks".
Glad he is bringing that up.
Tiannamen square.
Reason enough to call China a spineless vacillating cowardly nation.
Countries with spines do not run down students with tanks just because they are demonstrating for FREEDOM.
GET the Cow!
hehhehheh
so we have heard...
That particular buck stops with you, FRiend. You could not possibly have researched your contractor very well or you would know who would be doing any and all subcontracting work. Yes, this takes time. But ultimately, YOU just paid those workers.
"Run away!!! Run away!!!"
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