From The International Herald Tribune (link):

U.S.-China summit meetings traditionally include discussion of Beijing’s human rights practices. When President Hu Jintao of China visits the White House on Thursday, the Bush administration’s own problematic record will make the conversation more awkward than usual, but the topic undoubtedly will, and should, come up. This time, however, the focus should not be limited to China’s repression at home. President George W. Bush should also raise China’s troubling indifference to human rights abroad.

When it comes to human rights, China’s foreign policy is deliberately agnostic. As Hu puts it, China operates “without any political strings.” Inspired by how it would like to be treated by others, Beijing adheres to a policy of “noninterference in internal affairs,” trading, investing and providing aid without regard to whether its partner is a democratic visionary or a tyrant.

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