China Connection

Yesterday's Capitol Hill press conference was like many others I've attended, with politicians and activists are flanked by a sea of brightly-colored signs and photos. The speakers, from countries like China, Sudan, North Korea, and the U.S. had one primary goal: to expose China as the greatest enabler of human rights abuses worldwide.

This is a pretty heavy accusation, and China's greatest supporters and critics can produce substantial evidence on their respective positions. But it wasn't the horrific conditions detailed by each speaker that caught my attention, it was much of the media focus after the conference.

What was the news? Sen. Sam Brownback's accusations that China has set up surveillance cameras in China's U.S.-owned hotels to spy on Olympic tourists.

While this type of accusation has riled up many, it doesn't even come close to comparing with much more egregious human rights abuses, like labor camps in North Korea, genocide in Sudan, or even the most recent discovery of a child labor ring in China's Guangdong Province.

Like it or not, China has a firewall and monitors the Internet activity of its citizens. It's definitely not the most popular of China's policies, though has definitely received more criticism from overseas than in China, including the Global Online Freedom Act, a bill proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Even if Brownback's claims are completely accurate and the Chinese government is spying on its guests at Western hotels, it doesn't really differ from a daily situation for the vast majority of China's Internet users.

The Western hotels are actually quite exceptional in China, since they're some of the only places that allow holes in China's firewall, at least for now. While adding surveillance to Western tourists isn't the best way to signal a free society or to welcome Olympic guests, it's not completely different than the average Internet user's experience, with one of China's 30,000 web monitors. Furthermore, many Westerners can access the Internet using a VPN connection, which would bypass China's firewall.

It's impossible to deny that nationalism is on the rise in China, and anger at a common enemy "the Western media" has caused unpleasant results. Some Western journalists have received death threats, visa restrictions have been tightened, and French Carrefour retail stores have been destroyed. These are not encouraging signs to those planning trips to China.

On the other hand, criticism of China is somewhat of a double-edged sword. While raising awareness of human rights issues worldwide is important and necessary, is blaming China for every unjust regime going to achieve the desired result?

Some would say that the criticism of China is actually exacerbating the problem, whereas others maintain that it's exposing the truth that's been festering below the surface for far too long.

Some say China's economic growth has provided unprecedented opportunities for its citizens, whereas others feel that China's growing power provides a threat to global security.

The funny thing is, in a sense, China's greatest supporters and critics all really want the same thing. They want Chinese citizens to enjoy a high standard of living, enjoying basic freedoms. The way to achieve this ideal, however, is a subject of serious controversy.

One of the greatest benefits of living in America remains the ability to express different political viewpoints and openly debate complex issues without fear of persecution. This is a luxury that many worldwide must live without.

But focusing on a symptom of the problem, like how China's policies negatively impact an elite group of Westerners, rather than the larger issue at hand, probably won't generate the desired outcome.

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/368265.aspx