U.S. Giving China A Pass On Human Rights?

CBS Evening News: In Beijing, Clinton Stresses Collaboration On World Crises As Top Priority

(CBS)  A Chinese human rights group said today that police are closely watching dissidents and forcing some to stay in their homes during Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit.

China is the last stop in Clinton's four-nation Asian tour, and her message on human rights was much different this time than the one she delivered on a previous trip, reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews.

As Clinton met the Chinese leadership today, she spoke repeatedly of "working together," "positive cooperation," and "collaboration."

She made it clear that the Obama administration sees China as an ally rather than a competitor or adversary.

She specifically asked China for help with Iran, North Korea, global warming and the worldwide fiscal meltdown. Message to China: the Obama team wishes you well.

"We want China to grow. We want the Chinese people to have a very good standard of living," Clinton said.

There was absolutely no hint of the old Hillary Clinton, who as First Lady in 1995, skewered Beijing for its human rights violations starting with its treatment of women.

Today when she was asked what happened to human rights, she said little more than that it still comes up: "Human rights is an essential part of U.S. foreign policy.

Clinton told Andrews off camera that the U.S. will still push on women's rights and Tibetan freedom, but suggested that compared to the global agenda with China, human rights have a lower priority.

"But our pressing on those issues can't interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis and the security crises," she told reporters.

Human rights activists said Clinton just made it easy for China to suppress Tibet and internal protests at will.

"She really gave them a completely undeserved and totally unexpected Christmas present," said Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch.

But what Clinton is attempting is diplomacy by inclusion. The idea: maybe in areas of the world where making demands on Beijing don't work, including them as partner will.

(Read more on Clinton's Asian tour and her focus on position on human rights in China.)

[yamuttya]

What can the US say about human rights ???

After Guantanamo and Abu Graib????

Nothing !!!

[krescera]

Human Rights industry has been extraordinarily useful in attacking George W.Bush over Iraq,GITMO,and other partisan issues.Now,the industry is being given a quiet burial.

[mjvw2]

of course we're giving them a pass; we need them to fund the government expansion (stimulus) bill

[jgeheran]

I am profoundly disappointed with Secretary Clinton not because she chose pragmatism over idealism. This is not the choice she made. She chose what makes us animal over what makes us human. What good can come of filling our bellies at the expense of starving our spirit? This is short term thinking. History tells us that our lifeblood as human beings is not in what we consume but in what we believe.

We are in a struggle with China not over land, or resources, or trade. Our struggle is with a Communist government over the nature of humanity itself. Are humans just serfs at the service of the state? Can we count on a state that routinely throws human beings into jail to rot as vegetables because they whisper the word "democracy" once too often? Or practice the language or religion of their parents? Can we negotiate with a state that wipes out cultures and stamps out individual conscience in the name of a %u201Charmonious society%u201D? I fear our silence will return some day to silence us. Here in DC is a noble monument on Mass Avenue dedicated to the victims of Communism. This is a living monument not an historical one. It would be wise for Secretary Clinton to visit this monument and reflect that more people have been killed in the name of the Chinese Peoples Communist Party than the victims of Stalin and Hitler combined.

[jgeheran]

I am profoundly disappointed with Secretary Clinton not because she chose pragmatism over idealism. This is not the choice she made. She chose what makes us animal over what makes us human. What good can come of filling our bellies at the expense of starving our spirit? This is short term thinking. History tells us that our lifeblood as human beings is not in what we consume but in what we believe.

We are in a struggle with China not over land, or resources, or trade. Our struggle is with a Communist government over the nature of humanity itself. Are humans just serfs at the service of the state? Can we count on a state that routinely throws human beings into jail to rot as vegetables because they whisper the word "democracy" once too often? Or practice the language or religion of their parents? Can we negotiate with a state that wipes out cultures and stamps out individual conscience in the name of a %u201Charmonious society%u201D? I fear our silence will return some day to silence us. Here in DC is a noble monument on Mass Avenue dedicated to the victims of Communism. This is a living monument not an historical one. It would be wise for Secretary Clinton to visit this monument and reflect that more people have been killed in the name of the Chinese Peoples Communist Party than the victims of Stalin and Hitler combined.

[wvu74621]

Where is all the maniacal praise for Obama on this subject?

[nwseattle]

Democrats doesn't dear to speak out against Communist Party of China dictatorship regime about the Chinese HUMAN RIGHTS violation will not help democracy in China, nor in the US.

I sincerely hope President Obama do not use short sight to look at the Chinese people and the Chinese government.

HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL!

Stop help to against Chinese people!!!


Seattle Chinese Human Rights Coalition

[dibs977]

I think we need to look at our own civil rights abuses---like all the prisoners at Guantanamo, water boarding and deaths of military prisoners, the horrible way *** are treated in our military----Let's worry about the "mote" in our own eye.

[niceface19]

May be the Chinese give the US a pass instead,

the US has more political prisoners than any one else in the world.

[niceface19]

May be the Chinese give the US a pass instead,

the US has more political prisoners than any one else in the world.

[metsobitso]

The real deal is that if China will donate to the Clinton Foundation (Off Shore) then Hillary wont bring up Human Rights Issues. There is also the matter of her campaign debts that need paying. China just might be in a position to see these cleared up.

[lantash1]

Clinton and anyone that won't address China's human rights violations might as well join Bush and Cheney in the list of people in our government that have their hands soaked in blood.

[jgunther7]

Clinton didn't talk about Tibet and China didn't mention Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Afghanistan, Palestine or the million killed in Iraq. Good thing old Hil kept her mouth shut for a change.

[lewiston14]

%u201COne could also ask why HRC did not visit North Korea or Iran just as a way to get to know the governments%u201D

Wanted to expand on this line from my post near the bottom of page one. First I want to change the word or to and. She would have been as safe or safer because I think Kim and Ahmadinejad would have been thrilled to have such a high ranking US official visit if only to say I wanted to come to meet you. SOS is a very high ranking job. Ahmadinejad likes flowers on his talk table and sure HRC would have seen a garden full. Im not sure how the setting in Korea would have looked like but im sure it also would have been grand. What a better way for the US to reach out after years of failed policies. They all know OB is busy at home dealing with the mess we are in. I just hope he spends a little more time in Washington and a lot of less time on air force 1 looking for photo ops. We all know what he looks like we don%u2019t need anymore pretty pictures for awhile. Well im just thinking out loud but it seems politics always get in the way.

[runningralph]

It would be extremely awkward to berate China for violations while asking them to keep buying t-bills. Maybe we could cook up a deal with China to sell them San Francisco to redeem the T-bills.

[babooph]

With the "patriot act",torture as policy,& two foreign wars,how can the US point the finger at ANY other nation ?

[thepitbull13]

it''s degrading seeing how bush/cheney sold out this country.


Posted by neoconRcrazy at 06:37 AM : Feb 22, 2009

You mean like Clinton allowing the sale of military satellite technology to China during his term(treason) as well as personally accepting Chinese money. That's why you wont hear anything knocking the Chinese. Plus she has to kiss their a$$, our govt. is expecting China to bail us out. You can't go to the banker, rip them a new one and expect a loan. Pucker up Hill, for the country of coarse.

[tincup356]

Can we really stand another "Clinton" rape.

President Obama is just playing us...we are on our way...the Clintons are ever so socialist, and President Obama is trying to be real,

Posted by MommaKat64 at 05:46 AM : Feb 22, 2009................Both parties of our government are corrupt,,,,,they need to be replaced and those in office now need to be jailed for TREASON.

[spiritwalk]

The simple fact,the simple mathematical and statistical fact is that the US has a larger percentage of its population in prison than China does. (or any other country for that matter)

Pot/Kettle, doesn't matter which. You can't get on someone else for a situation that you seem to be having an issue with yourself. Not if the issue is something you would rather not have people looking at.

[pepperwood2]

She made it clear that the Obama administration sees China as an ally rather than a competitor or adversary.

She went on to say - Don't I look & act like a brilliant SOS compared to Condi? By the way Mr. Wong, Thanks for the generous gift to the Clinton Library. We're on your side $$$$$ concerning human rights. Cackle cackle cackele