As Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with George Bush this week, he will attempt to assuage US fears that China is a threat to peace, democratization, and security. Hu will also try to portray China as a staunch ally in the war on terror, and focus the discussion on growing trade ties between the two nations.
But President Bush needs to see past the empty rhetoric of Hu, and understand that the Chinese agenda runs counter not only to the universal values of freedom and democracy, but also to US national interests. In the United Nations, China has stymied US initiatives to counter the genocide in Darfur and to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. In addition, China also openly supports ruthless dictatorships in Zimbabwe, Myanmar, and Uzbekistan. Its offer to contain North Korea's military threats is half-hearted at best. Finally, China's military spending threatens traditional US allies such as Taiwan and Japan.
Even on issues such as trade, China's record is spotty. China deliberately undervalues its currency to inflate its trade surplus, flouts World Trade Organization regulations, and allows intellectual piracy and copyright infringement to flourish.
Mr. Hu may portray China's influence as benign to US interests. But if Mr. Bush can see past the empty rhetoric, he will see that the Chinese agenda is hinders the spread of democracy and freedom worldwide.
