President Bush Criticized on China

I am writing to express my extreme disapproval of the Bush Administration’s current policy towards China. I am enraged at our open coddling of a government which has so flagrantly violated the human rights of those people who are asking for democratic freedom. According to The Times, the only countries allying themselves as we are with China are North Korea, Romania and Cuba (Part A, Dec. 11): not exactly the kind of company I ever expected our country to be in. It is obvious that this Administration is interested only in furthering corporate interests, and not in promoting those ideals that our country is supposed to stand for.

With Eastern Europe throwing off totalitarianism with the full backing of the United States, and the Philippines receiving our military support to ensure democracy there, isn’t it hypocritical not to pursue the same policy in China? At least in El Salvador we are backing a duly elected government. Surely we would get further in our relations with the rest of the world by practicing what we preach instead of pursuing a policy of convenience. Either we support democracy or we don’t.

There is a lesson to be learned from our mistakes in supporting private interests over democracy in the cases of Cuba, Nicaragua and Iran, where our “allies” were ousted by popular movements because of their corrupt, tyrannical government. If the Chinese democratic movement should ever be successful, will we be their enemy or their friend? As an American citizen, I feel it is wrong to support dictators, whether they be on the left or on the right.

CHRIS SMITH

Norwalk