Criticism of Tony Blair by Chinese democracy cause
China Support Network | 21.07.2003 11:41
Following on the heels of an address by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to a joint session of the U.S. Congress, as occurred on Thursday, July 17, two leading voices for Chinese democracy have reacted with anger at the speech.
TONY BLAIR: RIGHT ON RHETORIC, WRONG ON CHINA
- PM's brave rhetoric covers up dangerous, ghastly, duplicitous China policy -
Speaking to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Thursday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair laid out a nuanced vision of foreign policy, to be jointly undertaken by America and Britain around the globe. From a standpoint with China's freedom movement, aligned with leading Chinese dissidents, we can only regret his speech.
Blair stated that, "Our ultimate weapon is not our guns, but our beliefs," and underscored to Congress that "ours are not Western values, they are the universal values of the human spirit." Blair's stated vision is to unify humanity around the idea of liberty.
His words are correct about the universal nature of human rights and democratic values, and he expresses an admirable sentiment. Yet in relation to China, the West has a mismatch between its words, on the one hand, and its deeds, on the other hand. The actions speak louder than words, and Western China policy is to freely purchase goods that are made in China. With that act, the West funds tyranny through the trade deficit with China; fuels a military buildup by the Chinese Communist Party; undermines freedom; undermines its own security; and, harms its own economy.
For many troubled regions of the globe, Blair's is a nuanced foreign policy. Yet he embraces a China policy that is so flawed, it puts the lie to the balance of his speech. By turning back on itself, the speech amounts to an intellectual nullity that should occasion calls for Blair's resignation on that ground alone -- not to mention other controversies that involve the Prime Minister.
Blair's China policy was not explicitly bannered, but was couched within the euphemism of free trade. He said, "I'm for free trade, and I'll tell you why: because we can't say to the poorest people in the world, 'We want you to be free, but just don't try to sell your goods in our market.'"
We very much want the West to tell China exactly that -- "don't try to sell your goods in our market." Tyrants, dictators, communists, and thugs are enriched by access to Western markets. It gives them an income of hard currency with which to torture their people, continue slave labor, put down unrest, and to finance their military and secret police. Even now, as Western troops are killed in combat, the bullets and other instruments of their death say, "Made in China." China provisions the West's enemies, and proliferates weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that seemed so important at the top of Mr. Blair's speech.
All concerns of Western security, and even WMD, leave the building by the end of Blair's speech, with this implied unsafe China policy. Principles give way to the expediency of reaching for blood-soaked profits that are derived from Chinese goods. The authors are quite willing to offer a dictum that "free trade is for the free world," as sensible policy that better balances the security and economic concerns of the West -- as well as the interests of freedom, that we represent.
"Don't try to sell your goods in our market" is what the West said to the Soviet Union. The West was right in that occasion. "Don't try to sell your goods in our market" is what the West said to South Africa. The West was right in that occasion -- South African people are now free of apartheid because the West took a principled stand. "Don't try to sell your goods in our market" is what George Bush now says to Cuba. A duplicitous double standard appears as we compare Cuba policy to China policy, and where is the justification? China's people want freedom too!
With its ghastly, murderous indifference to Chinese human rights atrocities, Western China policy is as good as leaving the Jews in the gas chambers. Blair was addressed in an open letter by Human Rights Watch, urging him to press issues of human rights in his visit to China and Hong Kong. We have no confidence that Blair will prompt change in China's human rights practices. Through his policy, he has bannered in advance that business takes precedence over any concern voiced in his speech. The West should be discerning to know ordinary profits from blood-soaked profits. That distinction is lost in this flawed China policy that countenances murder, torture, and genocide on China's part. Blair seems too happy to run a ruinous trade deficit; to harm the West's economy; and, to undermine freedom and national security.
Shame on Tony Blair!
Dr. Paul Maas Risenhoover
Board Member, Free China Movement
John Kusumi
Executive Director, China Support Network
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Published by the China Support Network (CSN). Begun as the American response group in 1989, CSN represents Americans who are "on the side" of the students in Tiananmen Square -- standing for democratic reform, human rights, and freedom in China. For dissident news; to support a stronger China policy; or get more information, see
http://www.chinasupport.net.
- PM's brave rhetoric covers up dangerous, ghastly, duplicitous China policy -
Speaking to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Thursday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair laid out a nuanced vision of foreign policy, to be jointly undertaken by America and Britain around the globe. From a standpoint with China's freedom movement, aligned with leading Chinese dissidents, we can only regret his speech.
Blair stated that, "Our ultimate weapon is not our guns, but our beliefs," and underscored to Congress that "ours are not Western values, they are the universal values of the human spirit." Blair's stated vision is to unify humanity around the idea of liberty.
His words are correct about the universal nature of human rights and democratic values, and he expresses an admirable sentiment. Yet in relation to China, the West has a mismatch between its words, on the one hand, and its deeds, on the other hand. The actions speak louder than words, and Western China policy is to freely purchase goods that are made in China. With that act, the West funds tyranny through the trade deficit with China; fuels a military buildup by the Chinese Communist Party; undermines freedom; undermines its own security; and, harms its own economy.
For many troubled regions of the globe, Blair's is a nuanced foreign policy. Yet he embraces a China policy that is so flawed, it puts the lie to the balance of his speech. By turning back on itself, the speech amounts to an intellectual nullity that should occasion calls for Blair's resignation on that ground alone -- not to mention other controversies that involve the Prime Minister.
Blair's China policy was not explicitly bannered, but was couched within the euphemism of free trade. He said, "I'm for free trade, and I'll tell you why: because we can't say to the poorest people in the world, 'We want you to be free, but just don't try to sell your goods in our market.'"
We very much want the West to tell China exactly that -- "don't try to sell your goods in our market." Tyrants, dictators, communists, and thugs are enriched by access to Western markets. It gives them an income of hard currency with which to torture their people, continue slave labor, put down unrest, and to finance their military and secret police. Even now, as Western troops are killed in combat, the bullets and other instruments of their death say, "Made in China." China provisions the West's enemies, and proliferates weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that seemed so important at the top of Mr. Blair's speech.
All concerns of Western security, and even WMD, leave the building by the end of Blair's speech, with this implied unsafe China policy. Principles give way to the expediency of reaching for blood-soaked profits that are derived from Chinese goods. The authors are quite willing to offer a dictum that "free trade is for the free world," as sensible policy that better balances the security and economic concerns of the West -- as well as the interests of freedom, that we represent.
"Don't try to sell your goods in our market" is what the West said to the Soviet Union. The West was right in that occasion. "Don't try to sell your goods in our market" is what the West said to South Africa. The West was right in that occasion -- South African people are now free of apartheid because the West took a principled stand. "Don't try to sell your goods in our market" is what George Bush now says to Cuba. A duplicitous double standard appears as we compare Cuba policy to China policy, and where is the justification? China's people want freedom too!
With its ghastly, murderous indifference to Chinese human rights atrocities, Western China policy is as good as leaving the Jews in the gas chambers. Blair was addressed in an open letter by Human Rights Watch, urging him to press issues of human rights in his visit to China and Hong Kong. We have no confidence that Blair will prompt change in China's human rights practices. Through his policy, he has bannered in advance that business takes precedence over any concern voiced in his speech. The West should be discerning to know ordinary profits from blood-soaked profits. That distinction is lost in this flawed China policy that countenances murder, torture, and genocide on China's part. Blair seems too happy to run a ruinous trade deficit; to harm the West's economy; and, to undermine freedom and national security.
Shame on Tony Blair!
Dr. Paul Maas Risenhoover
Board Member, Free China Movement
John Kusumi
Executive Director, China Support Network
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Published by the China Support Network (CSN). Begun as the American response group in 1989, CSN represents Americans who are "on the side" of the students in Tiananmen Square -- standing for democratic reform, human rights, and freedom in China. For dissident news; to support a stronger China policy; or get more information, see
http://www.chinasupport.net.
China Support Network
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