Bush has no China Card (5/2/02)
by Dean Hartwell
The visit of China's
Vice President Hu Jintao raised the question as to whether any of China's
policies about Taiwan, human rights and others will change once he becomes
president, as expected, next year. Did we receive an answer?
Hu talked a good game. He met with President Bush and Vice President Cheney and
told reporters in English that he thought the meeting went well. He spoke to a
group of leaders from the House of Representatives, striking some as
"intelligent." He also said that China and the United States
"are eager to see their relationship grow."
But as my grandmother used to tell me about politicians, "Don't listen to
what they say - watch what they do."
Hu acted like someone with a lot to lose. Four members of the House of
Representatives, including Nancy Pelosi of California, approached him and put
letters on the table in front of him. The letters asked Hu to release 25
Tibetians imprisoned during a Chinese crack down some years ago and asked him
to release dissidents who had tried to form an opposition party to the
Communist Party who control the nation.
Hu's response was to leave the letters alone. Through a spokesperson, he later
said that he would not take the letters because he did not know what they said.
Would it have been so hard to get a translator?
Another time, Hu claimed that China promotes freedom of religion. Yet members
of a spiritual group banned in China were seen outside his hotel handing out
leaflets contradicting that claim.
But his public warning to the United States not to give China "any
trouble" about Taiwan was his most telling action. As U.S. leaders already
know the issue to be a sore spot between the two nations, the comment was
unnecessary. Undoubtedly, he knew that the leadership of his party in China was
listening to his speech and he sought to assure them that he stood with them.
In short, the Bush Administration would be wise to expect little from a
President Hu. That way, he at least will not be disappointed.