San Jose Mercury News - August 3 10994

From: World Tibet Network News, Friday - August 4, 1995

Editorial: Talking to China Anticipating trouble is wise; bringing it on is not LAST week, China detained two U.S. Air Force officers, accused them of spying, and said Wednesday they would be expelled. Meanwhile, Harry Wu, the human rights activist who also has been accused of spying, remains in a Chinese jail. As the list of grievances between China and the United States lengthens, it's easy to conclude that China will replace the departed Soviet Union as the next enemy-for-all-seasons, and that we will soon bump heads, hard.

We could. But anticipating and preparing for trouble are wise. Deliberately bringing it on is not. That's why the Clinton administration should continue treating the hot new concept of ``containing'' China as a hot potato.

China is not the Soviet Union.

-- China, unlike the former Soviet Union, is not an immediate threat to the United States or U.S. interests. It is a potential threat to nearby U.S. allies.

-- The Chinese regime has evil characteristics, and presides over an empire. But Chinese government is not monolithic. Parts are changing quickly.

-- The Soviet Union tried to spread communism to other countries. China occupies Tibet, but otherwise is not spreading its crumbling ideology.

A U.S. policy that tries to limit China in every way will trigger more fear about the imperialist West. A better strategy involves two fronts: economic engagement through trade, and political engagement through discussion. The engagement through trade should benefit both countries, but engagement through dialogue is trickier. At times, such as after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, talks should stop. At times, such as now, more can be accomplished through diplomatic dialogue than without it.

Numerous reports say that China's leaders are paranoid that the United States is out to get them. Paranoia breeds the kind of belligerence that could lead to war, over Taiwan or shipping lanes, that could pull in the United States. U.S. leaders can make our priorities, and differences on human rights and other policies, more clear through high-level talks than without them.

Sometimes, that will take cooperation with other countries. Southeast Asia's unanimous opposition to China's island-grabbing in the South China Sea apparently has convinced China it's time to back off, as we wanted. Much of the time, the dialogue will have to be one-on-one. Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen held an inconclusive 90-minute meeting this week. If Harry Wu is released, President Clinton should meet with President Jiang Zemin in the fall. They, too, might not resolve anything. But they should make a start.