It is hardly news that the United States and China have some fundamental differences over issues of human rights, nor that some of the loudest American complaints come from Congress.
After all, these elected legislators represent a free and functioning democratic system more than two centuries old, and they enjoy telling other countries to apply it to themselves. Many think this has special meaning for China, a nation which too often feels compelled to lock up citizens who disagree with official policies and treats them with special harshness, belying Beijing's claim to represent a society with uniquely civilised values.
Even so, actions by several leading Congressmen seem a special combination of bad judgment and bad manners. Deputy Foreign Minister Wang Guangyu is in Washington for the first bilateral talks between the two big powers for five years on human rights disputes. For complex reasons involving ancient history and current politics, there is not much chance of making any fundamental breakthroughs. But the fact that the meeting takes place at all should be encouraged.
Not so according to some grandstanding Congressmen who refuse to meet the visitors. Chinese practices are 'so appalling . . . (that the) Congressmen don't see any point in having a dialogue with people who are not showing any interest in making progress on human rights', one Capitol Hill aide explained.
Fortunately, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has reacted more wisely. She told the visitors rather bluntly that the US is 'very disturbed' by a current crackdown on dissenters, and told China that such intolerance demeans itself. But this did not stop her attending a 20th birthday party for Sino-American diplomatic relations; she knows many vital interests are at stake.
If some key politicians would do less talking and more thinking, they, too, might find ways to make their views known without damaging the basic relationship. They might even find ways to nudge China gently towards the goals they seek.
