Human rights not top priority in Bush-Hu talks

The Washington Times ^ | 19 April 2006 | David R. Sands

[Marius3188]

Critics of China's human rights record say they face a tough battle to keep the issue high on the crowded U.S.-China agenda as President Bush prepares to welcome Chinese President Hu Jintao to the White House tomorrow.

Once a prickly centerpiece of the bilateral relationship, Beijing's record on human rights and political freedoms now must compete with a wealth of other pressing issues at the half-day summit, from nuclear crises in Iran and North Korea to energy, trade and the proper value of the Chinese currency.

"Certainly, we are using this issue to highlight China's record, which is bad and getting worse," said T. Kumar, director of Asia policy for the Washington office of Amnesty International.

[Marius3188]

"China's booming economy and expanding military have apparently given Mr. Hu and China's communist leadership new confidence to stand up to U.S. criticisms on human rights."

[Thunder90]

Human rights is avoided at any meeting involving China, Russia, or Saudi Arabia.

[kittycatonline.com]

Outside of Wal-Mart, I'm not sure what the two would have in common to talk about. Hu probably won't be bragging about that sweet arms deal he cut with Iran recently, so yeah, I suppose that leaves the two of 'em talking about Wal-Mart.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"Human rights not top priority in Bush-Hu talks"

If it was then he would not be in America and there would be no talks.

Let's be realistic. The strategy is obviously one of engagement while we foster ideas of democracy on them.

Not sit them down in a chair and lecture them on human rights. The chair would be empty and the abuses would still continue.

[tallhappy]

The problem is that the dealings with the Chinese comunist regime undercut the Bush doctrine. When it is we ally ourselves with democracies, we support democracies and foster democracy as policy as principle -- except for Taiwan and China, it makes the doctrine seem empty, as if it is all for show and it is superficial and insincere.

Why should anyone believe we support freedom and democracy when we invite the "President" of China to the White House and honor him with a 21 gun salute but won't let the actually elected President of Taiwan enter Washington DC, much less the White House and will not recognize Taiwan's nationhood or right to exist in deference to comunist demands?

[tallhappy]

we foster ideas of democracy on them.

You probably always believe it when they say it's "for the children".

We unfortunately are not fostering ideas of democracy on them. The ideas of democracy were fostered on China more than once and initially a long time ago. In fact fostering democracy worked so well that, not too recently, there were demonstrations in the streets for a month of millions of people calling for democracy. They made models of the statue of liberty.

Democracy was fostered. Engagement worked. It worked quickly. It took only ten years after opening up and us engaging for it to happen. But the communists did not sit back and let it happen, they sent out the army and massacred their own people and have kept a repressive lid on anything remotely politically challenging to their one party rule.

As far as "Not sit them down in a chair and lecture them on human rights", well, to a large degree Bush did do that in his Japan speech. He did lecture on democracy and human rights for China and even extolled Taiwan's democracy.

Yet with Hu here, Bush says nothing. What was the speech in Japan about? Was it to talk behind his back? but smile and praise to his face?

[LeoWindhorse]

check this out
http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-4-21/40651.html

[IrishMike]

Woman says China targets Muslim population for forced family planning

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Chinese authorities are targeting an autonomous Muslim population for forced family planning, said a woman once held as a Chinese political prisoner. During a wide-ranging congressional hearing that spotlighted China's often-criticized human rights record, Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., also heard testimony about violations of religious freedom. Smith, the only congressman present, chairs the House subcommittee that oversees global human rights. The April 19 hearings were conducted the day before U.S. President George W. Bush met with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Rebiya Kadeer, president of the International Uyghur Human Rights and Democracy Foundation and a former political prisoner, testified through an English translator that in February a senior government official targeted the predominantly Muslim Uighur people, who live in the rural area of Xinjiang, an autonomous region between Tibet and Kazakhstan, for family planning.