MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONNNEEEY, the song goes.
That’s what went through my mind after watching and reading about how salivating, sycophantic American business leaders, including some in the wireless biz, lined up to rub elbows here with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, known as the Great Reformer by some and the Butcher of Beijing by others.
Never mind the bloody Tiananmen massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators in ’89, the forced abortions, the detention and torturing of political dissidents, the rape of religious freedom in Tibet, the military bullying of Taiwan, nuclear technology sales to rogue states, suspect political influence peddling in the United States and other activities at long odds with the mores of the world community.
There’s big business to be had, what with Zemin agreeing to whittle down tariffs on telecom and information technology products and graciously accepting non-military nuclear technology from us.
Word is, there are billions of bucks in Chinese telecom contracts, too.
But what about humanitarian and military abuse in China?
Hey, American business apologists reply, what about slavery, WACO, Ruby Ridge here?
What about it? Does that change anything?
“Constructive engagement,” the policy Clinton adapted from President Bush to de-link human rights from trade, is actually a pragmatic and sound policy.
If only Clinton had President Reagan’s skill to enforce it the way the Gipper dealt from strength with the Soviets.
Some argue it’s unwise to isolate China. Others say the United States cannot isolate China, only itself. Both observations miss the larger truth that in this world, where technology defies the physics of time and space, no one is isolated today. Isolation is now impossible.
So Clinton’s decision to engage China is a wise one. The problem is the policy; the problem is the president, the leader of the free world whose burning desire for re-election in 1996 and for the Big Money to make it happen, compromised his leverage with a China now under investigation by the FBI and Congress for trying to influence the presidential and congressional elections with illegal campaign contributions.
The “One China” policy of Zemin’s is a one-way street.
If Bush coddled dictators as Clinton claimed, then this president throttles dictators, like Zemin.
It’s really true: Torture trumps trade every time, as the wise man says.
