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What About China's Dirty Secrets?
As he makes his first visit to China, the president will be grilled about loans and deficits. Sophie Richardson on why Obama needs to turn talk to Beijing's state secrets and "black jails."
Speaking in Tokyo’s Suntory Hall on Saturday on the first leg of his visit to Asia, President Barack Obama stressed the importance of promoting human rights in the region. “Supporting human rights,” he said, “provides lasting security that cannot be purchased in any other way." “There are certain aspirations that human beings hold in common: The freedom to speak your mind, and choose your leaders; the ability to access information, and worship how you please; confidence in rule of law, and the equal administration of justice. These are not impediments to stability, they are its cornerstones.”
Click Image to View Our Gallery of Obama's Trip to Asia
Human rights have deteriorated markedly in China since President Obama took office, particularly for the country’s vibrant but beleaguered civil society—journalists, lawyers, health, human rights and religious advocates. To help reverse this trend, President Obama should take up with President Hu Jintao each of the five human-rights areas he spotlighted in Suntory Hall.
• PEN ALERT: Free Liu XiaoboOn “the freedom to speak your mind, and choose your leaders,” President Obama should ask President Hu to release Chinese activists who have been jailed or detained for exercising this basic right. Liu Xiaobo, for example, was arrested last December for coauthoring Charter 08, a pro-democracy and human-rights manifesto. In June, he was formally charged with “incitement to subvert state power,” a charge often used to silence critics of the Chinese government.
On the “ability to access information,” President Obama should raise the case of Tan Zuoren and Huang Qi, two activists also facing charges of subversion. Their crime? Investigating the deaths of schoolchildren in the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake and posting their findings online. China’s “Great Firewall” prevents the country’s 338 million Internet users from freely accessing information on the Web, while the censorship of the press, television, and radio is equally pervasive.
On the “ability to worship how you please,” President Obama should ask President Hu to ensure the respect of China’s own constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. In spite of this provision, Buddhist followers of the Dalai Lama in Tibet, Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, and Christians in underground “house churches” face numerous restrictions to their freedom of faith.
On the “confidence in the rule of law,” President Obama should urge the Chinese government to abolish the practice of renewing lawyers' licenses annually—a way to disbar courageous rights-defending lawyers who bring cases that expose government abuses. He should also address the state secrets law which so often is used against peaceful critics of the government. On the “equal administration of justice,” President Obama should denounce recent executions and the complete lack of due process in the trials of Tibetans and Uighurs arrested after protests in March 2008 and July 2009.
Finally, as the Chinese government welcomes President Obama on his first official visit, thousands of Chinese suffer in secret, unlawful detention facilities known as “black jails,” the existence of which the Chinese government unconvincingly denies.
In a new report this week
Said one 43-year-old man of his 55-day detainment: "I was beaten [by guards] every three days... they said I didn't respect their work. I couldn't endure it and several times considered suicide."
President Obama should call for the dismantlement of these illegal detention facilities, and ask China’s leaders to make rule of law reforms a top priority.
Even as he meets with senior government officials in China, President Obama should remember to advocate for human rights of the people of China. By making these requests, he can show that he is willing to walk the walk—not just talk the talk—on human rights.
Dr. Sophie Richardson is the Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.
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guerrilladude
This is all just great - rhetorically speaking. The reality is, we come to China with hat in hand - who else is going to lend us the massive amount of money we need to function as a nation? When is the last time a debtor got to berate, and dictate to, its creditor? And what about the moral high ground that the Bush Administration (and to a continuing degree the Obama administration) has lost when we allowed state-sanctioned torture of detainees, denying legal rights to detainees (foreign and American), kidnapping and renditions, and where just today Robert Gates can trump the court ordered release of photos pertaining to torture by American CIA and military?
With all due respect to Dr. Richardson, in a perfect world, yes, Obama would bring up all that she mentions in no uncertain terms. The reality is, we are morally and financially bankrupt and we have no options besides kowtowing to the Chinese. Sadly we gave up our rights when we started this massive transfer of OUR wealth (yes, it is our wealth squandered on plastic garbage at Walmart) to the Chinese and then had the gaul to turn around and ask them to loan it back to us to support our bankrupt system.
And who to we have to thank for this sorry state of affairs? Look in the mirror fellow Americans.
loloo33
you are right on sir, I wish everybody else have comes to this enlightenment.
crypto
guerrilladude: If you'll stretch a little I'll shake your hand. You've done your homework and stated your piece. Would it be that everybody could see.
MatKen
The US is morally and financially bankrupt? I'm fairly certain that nothing could be further from the truth. I know it's fashionable these days to bemoan the state of affairs, but let's get a grip on realty. China is as beholden to the US for all of the same reasons you think they have leverage.
China needs to buy our treasuries as much as we need them to buy them. China needs our markets more than we need them to have access to them. China needs our currency to exist as much as we need it to exist.
The US has something that China will never have, or at least never have as long as they operate in the way they do and that is the worlds trust and confidence in it's government, it's people, and it's markets. As much as you and people like you try to look down your nose at our government and our society it remains the greatest system of government ever invented and has spawned the greatest society to ever populate the earth. Trade deficits and debt don't change that, those are temporary. Our constitution, our laws, and our society are enduring principles.
China has plenty to answer for, not the least of which is how they have their currency pegged. And yes, the do in fact answer to us on human rights issues, and yes we make mistakes but our system is self correcting. Their system is self perpetuating.
I'm actually getting a little tired of all you sad clowns.
guerrilladude
Whatevs MatKen. You didn't convince me of anything besides you must live in a pretty nice fantasy world. I know the US has it's strengths, but if you honestly think the Chinese NEED to buy our debt you are crazy. And as we saw with Bush Admin, our much vaunted Constitution and rule of law are just as vulnerable to distortion as any. Wake up - the US is not #1 anymore (if we ever really were).
AlanD2
MatKen: The U.S. lost the worlds' trust and confidence during the George W. Bush administration.
It's going to be hard for us to get it back while we are engaged in two unnecessary wars. And while we are the world's biggest debtor and continue to have a trade deficit.
Carole65
Excellent post, guerrilladude!
MatKen
guerilladude - I live in the US. Its not a fantasy world but I feel very fortunate to have been born here. I dont define this country by economic hardship nor Bush policies. I dont know how to quantify which country is number 1. I do know that all citezens here have more opportunity to seek happiness than the citizens of virtually every society the world has ever seen, so if thats not good enough for you, it will be a long unhappy life.
I suppose China could do something else with their trade surplus and maybe in the future they will but they are not buying treasuries because they have a bunch of other brilliant ideas.
whipmawhopma
guerrilladude - I agree with your general theme but in the financial context 'bankrupt' is the wrong word, and I suspect that actual bankruptcy is still some time in the future and a lot depends on what happens between now and then, if it ever comes to an actual complete collapse. America is still solvent, and unfortunately the proof of that is that we can still borrow money to pay our bills.
On the other hand, we are way overextended, having to live on credit day-to-day, having saddled ourselves with needless expenses that have nothing to do with the peace and prosperity of the country as a whole, and the government's expense-to-income ratio and debt load is amazingly bad, but an actual bankruptcy of the United States has not happened as yet.
We can pull back from this situation, but I doubt the political will exists in either the political class or the various interest groups it caters to, including the voters, to endure the pain it will bring, even if in the long term the country and the people would gain. We seem to continue willfully towards eventual bankruptcy, hoping something will magically happen to put that off into someone else's future.
I cannot imagine a fiscal conservative ever being elected to POTUS nor a fiscally conservative Congress elected to work with him or her. Americans are true believers in instant gratification of wants and whims, whether it's in foreign policy or how they chose to live their lives...
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you're going on a holiday
Your birthday comes around once a week and it's Christmas every day
You never have to clean your room or put your toys away
There's a little white horse you can ride of course
You can jump so high you can touch the sky
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.
Morally speaking, it's a different matter. You are entirely correct. We are difficult to take seriously as a moral authority. Those days might come back, if we ever learn to stay out of fights that aren't ours and treat each other better, and even treat our deadly enemies with a reasoned kindness reflective of those values we wish applied to ourselves. In the meantime we're a really powerful and more liberal version of Russia, with needless blood on our hands, and our ideals are a bit tarnished by our behavior.
guerrilladude
Whip - obviously we haven't gone financially 'bankrupt' yet, but what you describe is for all practical purposes bankrupt. We just happen to have enough resources to keep the illusion that we aren't - by borrowing billions a day to keep the whole edifice creaking along. And I would argue that the only reason we are still able to borrow is because so much of the world is invested in one way or another with our system (whether it is through buying bonds, owning investments, etc) and so they have a vested interest in prolonging the illusion - at least until something better comes along. Slowly by surely the wealth is being drained from this nation, and there hardly any stream incoming.
But I don't want to split hairs with you - I understand your point.
loloo33
It's the most unrealistic point of view, as you know China is under the communist regime and their leader has the absolute power, no negotiation.
Unlike America, everything needs to discuss and wait to get pass through layers and layers of negotiation, there is nothing done. How much the cost for gitmo prisoners trial, also the fort hood shooter? you will have to spend millions for all these people who commite crimes. And is this good for the country?
AlanD2
loloo33: It sounds like you yearn for an American dictatorship. It would certainly be a lot cheaper - just take suspected criminals out back and shoot them.
Of course, some of them might be innocent, but that's life - right?
Our rule of law does its best to prevent innocent people from being punished. To me, this is worth the cost and delay you complain about. After all, this is what make us Americans.
lynnbob
The pot calling the kettle black.
khepri
The US really must re-establish its own moral authority before it can begin to lecture others. To do anything less is to accumulate still more hypocrisy points on the world stage.
Georealist
This may come as a shock to the liberal sycophants who trail after Mr. Obama like they're hounds on the scent..BUT..no American President has the duty or obligation to lecture China about anything on their own soil.
What he could control..and would show some integrity..is to tell people in his Administration to stop idolizing the mass murderer Mao....
It's the Chinese who need to lecture him...they have nearly a trillion dollars in Bonds and US currency in their possession..and he's debasing the Dollar faster than you can say "community organizer."
Georealist
Also!! Does it strike anyone else a little odd that we have a story about Obama..China and get a picture of the great community organizer bending over far enough to kiss the Japanese Emporer's butt?????
ManchaTheo
here we go again on bowing...
MatKen
No. It does strike me as odd that people like you see something wrong with the President greeting another head of state in the local customary way. You know, like every other president in the history of the United States has when visiting Japan. But hey, I guess snark is in vogue these days so keep it up.
crypto
Nothing wrong there. Bowing in Asian countries is an act of respect. The accent of the bow depends upon the status of the person you are showing the respect. I would think that is appropriate.
UnAmused
I'd like to see that pig-eyed little stooge Robert Gibbs explain away this bow the way he tried to with last one.
Hard to believe that Scott McClellan would be the SECOND-worst press secretary of the decade..
AlanD2
Typical conservative troll comment, UnAmused.
Can't you find some other site to trash?
suzannewynn
Georealist, the dollar sliding is actually good for the manufacturing sector but you are right we cannot lecture China as they own us!
If you hadn't noticed Pres Obama is just a tad taller than the Japanese Emporer and he is showing his respect by bowing as is customary and the last time I checked Japan is an ally dumbass.
drbob117
Mr. President,
When are you going to realize that you are a head of State and you do not bow to anybody(the King of Saudi Arabia, The Emperor of Japan.) It is wrong and you hold our country up to ridicule.
Robert S.Hordos
Jericho, NY
khepri
Technically you may be correct. Whether to bow or not to bow: whose customs, after all, shall prevail. I supposed the President could have argued that over here we don't bow; and that since this it the case, the emperor had just better get used to a handshake. Maybe the way to test it would be this: have the emperor come HERE; then see which custom prevails. I'm guessing Obama wouldn't bow in that case?
drbob117
Protocol dictates that as the Chief of State, the President is the equal of kings, queens and emperors and does not bow to any other Chief of State.A handshake is the only proper greeting.
ManchaTheo
sometimes i forget that a large proportions of americans are totally alien to the concept of respecting another country's customs...
sonofrobinX
not only totally alien, opposed and offended by it. its so ridiculous. you dont go to dinner at someones home and expect them to bake chicken the way your grandmother did. thats why everybody cant be president or in a position that holds democratic power. some people amaze me with their fantastical way of looking at the world.
neverlate
I thought it was a nice gesture of respect for another culture.
octavio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
The crooked republican USA senators don't just bow to the big
corporations e,g; to the stinky USA Health Care Industry.
These crooked senators kiss ass all the time in exchange for bribes ( millions in campaign contributions ) the two Bushes
were bowing to the Saudi Arabians and to the banks all the
time.About the USA going to lecture other countries.It is a big
joke.The USA needs to stop the USA government corruption
-- stop the lobbyists from corrupting the USA politicians.The
USA needs to close Guantanamo pass the Public Health Care Bill and implement it as soon as possible.The USA needs to stop abusing the immigrants,we need to stop sending our prisoners to other countries to be tortured.After we
correct these wrongs then we can lecture some body else.
It is true that the USA is morally and financially bank-
rupted.
We need to start doing something about these USA ugly
problems.
We can start by prosecuting Bush/Cheney.Otherwise this
country is going to continue going down the toilet.
crypto
Octavio: You have a one track mind budero..and the third rail seems to be troubled. Read Psalm 109:8 in the King James version of the bible. There you might find what is in store for this administration and us.
sonofrobinX
do you believe that? Really?
This user is no longer registered.
n--Y--maladaptedsocialworklady
mal,
If Obama is a putz
In over his head
Then you, Sir
Drowned
Long
Ago
ImNoPUNK
First reports out of China reveal that it was an interesting initial meeting between the Chinese Premier and President Obama. Upon greeting the Chinese Premier in The Great Hall, the U.S. President warmly extended his hand and asked if he'd ever shaken the hand of a black man. The Premier's Chinese interpreter translated the question to the Chinese Premier who heartily laughed then responded. The Chinese interpreter looked puzzled and initially didn't respond to the U.S. President whereupon the President Obama asked, "What did he say?".
The interpreter sheepishly replied, the Chinese Premier said, "Mr. Kettle is pleased to meet you, Mr. Pot!"
chuckie
If one looks at I.Q. as a potential for success, China's Intelluctually Gifted with I.Q.'s over 120 should account for approximately 25 % of their population.Equated to the U.S.population,China has more people with above average I.Q.'s than we have people. Once they release their Intellectual potential through FREEDOM of Thought and Action the U.S. should become concerned with China as a true rival in International Finance and Commerce! The days of Bluffing China are over and the U.S. will now see Japan,South Korea and the Asian Rim move into China's influence.
BOKOBOT
There is culpability on both sides. The U.S. feeds many of these abuses. I would ask the author, 'Who are these freedom-fighting lawyers defending?' Increasingly it's activists in Western China trying to break through the wall of abusive employer practices at factories funded by U.S. companies. This is a sadistic merry-go-round, and expecting the U.S. president to object is just dumb and naive. These factories need to be burned to the ground.
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