In remarks released from a speech that will be delivered later today in Japan, CNN reports that Bush is urging Chinese leaders to allow more freedom in their country, including the right "to worship without state control." Some choice bits:
Modern Taiwan is free and democratic and prosperous. By embracing freedom at all levels, Taiwan has delivered prosperity to its people and created a free and democratic Chinese society...With fistfights in the Taiwanese legislature (not that Korea is immune) and the ruling party engaging in a constant struggle to maintain control of power, the Chinese Communist Party may see little incentive to heed Bush's words. And with American, Japanese, South Korean, and European governments and people falling over themselves to invest in China and buy Chinese products, they just might consider themselves "prosperous" enough.
By meeting the legitimate demands of its citizens for freedom and openness, China's leaders can help their country grow into a modern, prosperous and confident nation...
In the 21st century, freedom is an Asian value because it is a universal value.
Expect Beijing to nod politely and give Dubya's suggestion a pass, though Bush is showing the religious right that he's at least addressing the issue of Christians (and others of faith) being persecuted in the PRC.
And on to Yasukuni...
Also in Pusan, the foreign ministers of South Korea and China have both told Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi that his visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine "should stop because they strain ties in Asia" (Reuters).
That message was given to PM Koizumi by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Kimoon, who "urged Prime Minister Koizumi to consider how the visits rekindled painful memories" (Reuters).
Quoting Li:
Go ask Europeans how they would feel if a German leader paid homage to the Nazis.Reuters says that "Koizumi is expected to receive a chilly reception at the APEC meeting of Pacific Rim leaders held in South Korea's second city, Pusan, because of his trip last month to Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine." The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that President Hu Jintao has no plans to meet Koizumi in Pusan, though Koizumi has said he was open to the idea of a summit with Hu in Pusan. (And good on Reuters for continuing to use the McCune-Reischauer Romanization system instead of the eotrosheos NAKL system adopted in 2000).
However, Koizumi will meet South Korean President Roh Moohyun on Friday, when APEC member country leaders from gather for annual talks. Also, when Li and Ban met with Japan's Foreign Minister, they did focus on the importance of trade and cultural ties, while vowing to mend the rift over Yasukuni.
For those of you living in a cave, Reuters reminds readers that these visits to Yasukuni "are seen by China, South Korea and other countries that were victims of Japanese past militarism as deeply offensive." [Above, Korean foreign minister Ban Kimoon meets Japanese foreign minister Aso Taro.]
Bush is just paying lip sevice. Who really wants to offend the biggest economy in the world? It's all about the readies after all. The same goes for the Yasukuni thing. Korea and China will complain, but they can't afford to anything about it as it will hurt their economies... That's the world we live in I guess.
ReplyDeleteBush is just paying lip sevice. Who really wants to offend the biggest economy in the world?
ReplyDeleteUm, that would be the United States with the biggest economy in the world. China's population is four times the size of the U.S., so it would have to have per capita GDP of one-fourth the size of the U.S. in order to have a larger economy. Nowhere near that yet.
The same goes for the Yasukuni thing. Korea and China will complain, but they can't afford to anything about it as it will hurt their economies... That's the world we live in I guess.
Despite all the noise, commerce, trade, cultural exchange, tourism, etc., between Korea and Japan remained high. But if Japan did something really bad, that could change. Korea may have a smaller economy than Japan's, but it could still kick Japan where it hurts, if it wanted to. Also, the Yasukuni visits could be turning what should be a close ally (Korea) away. This is not good. There ARE consequences.
If Bush and the right-wing are truly concerned about religious freedom, why doesn't Bush lecture Saudi Arabia? In China various houses of worship do exist, and I met Chinese who openly professed a belief in Christianity and attended services. On sale in the local bookstore were audiotapes for learning English through the Bible. Why don't they talk about the Indonesian and Filipina maids who come home in body bags after being raped and beaten to death by their gulf state masters? The Saudis aren't afraid to lock up and torture Westerners, either whenever there's a criminal case that needs to be closed.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to lecture other states about human rights, you need to 1)respect human rights in your own country; and 2) be fair and impartial. The Bush regime fails miserably on both counts.