tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8904700310404928179.post-57482187122902996012008-05-10T00:28:00.000-07:002008-05-10T00:28:00.000-07:00If we as a country really had issue with their human rights issues we would:<BR/><BR/>1) Not give them most favored nation trading status<BR/>2) Clamp down a lot harder on their imports after the quality of ingredient issue<BR/>3) Work to ensure 60% of our national debt wasn't held by them<BR/><BR/>The truth is America is pretty sketchy ourselves lately on human rights. Nothing close to the Chinese, but clearly we have some blood on our hands.<BR/><BR/>The only way you get China to change is if they see an incentive to it, if they think it's really their idea and if it enables them to continue to save face and be a proud nation.<BR/><BR/>Boycotting the Olympics accomplishes none of that. If anything it is a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to a country that could strike back much harder and much worse out of sheer pride.<BR/><BR/>Give the Chinese their moment in the sun. They aren't perfect by any means but they are starting to move in a much more market driven and liberal (for them) way. You get much further with working with them to help usher them into 'modern society' rather than just provoking them.<BR/><BR/>But again, most politicians (and commentators) aren't students of history, don't understand the culture and make moves that seem perfectly reasonable from a Western perspective, but are completely counter intuitive when dealing with China.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18088962058098058793noreply@blogger.com