Zakaria: Don't Feed China's Nationalism -- Olympic Protests only Make it Worse

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:10 PM EDT

Article Source: Newsweek

world-news, us, china, human-rights, olympics, 2008, protest, tibet, beijing

To the extent that we can gauge public opinion in China and among its diaspora, ordinary Chinese are, if anything, critical of the Beijing government for being too easy on the Tibetans. The real struggle here is between a nationalist majority and an ethnic and religious minority looking to secure its rights.

In these circumstances, a boycott of the Olympics would have precisely the opposite effect that is intended. The regime in Beijing would become only more defensive and stubborn. The Chinese people would rally around the flag and see the West as trying to humiliate China in its first international moment of glory. (There are many suspicions that the United States cannot abide the prospect of a rising China.) For most Chinese, the Games are about the world's giving China respect, rather than bolstering the Communist Party's legitimacy.

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Kyle Baxter

It is particularly strange to see countries that launched no boycotts while Chechnya was being destroyed—and indeed welcomed Russia into the G8—now so outraged about the persecution of minorities. (In comparison, estimates are that over the past 20 years, China has jailed several hundred people in Tibet.)

On this issue, the Bush administration has so far followed a wiser course, forgoing the grandstanding taking place in Europe and on the campaign trail. It has been urging the Chinese government quietly but firmly to engage in serious discussions with the Dalai Lama. Diplomacy can be scoffed at, but every multinational business that has had success in persuading the Chinese government to change course will testify that public humiliation does not work nearly as well on the regime as private pressure.

Excellent article that I think everyone should read, whatever your position.

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1 vote

#1 - Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:11 PM EDT

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Chinas Strange Idea of the Olympic Spirit	The New York Times	Fri Apr 11	4
Hundreds Protest Dalai Lama in Seattle	Associated Press	Thu Apr 10	1
Dalai Lama opens up on China	Seattle Post-Intelligencer	Mon Apr 14	0
Dalai Lama's threat shakes Buddhism	The L.A. Times	Mon Apr 14	0
Bush Unlikely to Boycott Olympics	Associated Press	Sat Apr 12	1

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Zakaria: Don't Feed China's Nationalism -- Olympic Protests only Make it Worse

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