China points that Conservatives Don't Know

America, a Beacon, not an Empire	20 Facts About China (rarely reported to Conservatives)	Americans Against World Empire Homepage

20 Facts About China (Rarely Reported to Conservatives)

by Jon Basil Utley

1) China has some 18 long-range single war head ballistic missiles built during the 1960's. The U.S. has thousands of multiple warhead missiles including many on subs and carriers off China's coasts. To quote columnist Charley Reese, So you want to go to war with China? "I would say that if China did not engage in a military buildup after watching the United States go bomb and missile crazy during the past years that it would be derelict in its duty (to its citizens)." As Lew Rockwell has written, "Foreign nations are not mad or evil in seeking defenses against us." China "dissed" us, but it's America that's becoming isolated in the world--Newsweek-The Arrogant Americans

2) Only after America's war with Iraq showed China how weak it was did it embark on major modernization, mainly anti-aircraft weaponry. This buildup was accelerated by the attack on Serbia, after which China feared that the same rationale (America's allying with nationalist insurgents) could be used to justify attacking China. China has now increased its military budget by 17% from low levels, but Washington still spends nearly as much as during the cold war and now many neo-conservatives urge increases of even another $100 billion. For Washington it's easier to go to war than to cut taxes.

3) China has virtually no amphibious forces able to attack Taiwan. It's all a farce about "invading" Taiwan. China benefits greatly from trade and know how from Taiwan. China has no interest in destroying Taiwan. Taiwanese have close to $100 billion invested in China; they’re not stupid. They wouldn’t invest if there were not property rights and personal safety for most. Many Taiwanese even retire to China.

4) Hong Kong is still free and rated No. 1 in the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Indicators. The Falun Gong, outlawed in China, are legal in Hong Kong. China has kept its commitments to maintain freedom in Hong Kong. China's demands for re-unification upon Taiwan envisage a similar freedom and independence.

5) Chinese “communism” is not anything at all like the “war” communism of old. China is evolving in the best way so far learned out of dictatorship, first by establishing economic prosperity. Political freedom can come later, pressed for by a growing middle class, as it did in Chile and Taiwan. However, in the Chinese provinces many of the old (real) communists still rule. The central government simply doesn't control everything and everywhere. Many of the most egregious violations of human rights happen in the provinces. Shining light on them rather than confrontations is the best way to gradually make them better.

6) In 1992 Bush Senior sold 150 F-16 fighter-bombers to Taiwan, reportedly in response to China's order of modern SU-27's fighters from Russia. Taiwan also has some 60 new Mirage 2000-5 fighters. However, China lacks the sophisticated battlefield command technology necessary to deploy its jets effectively. (NYTimes, 8/4/00)

7) Our No. 2 at the Department of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz has written how America must rule the world and prevent (militarily) any other nation from becoming a regional power able to stand up to America, the "Wolfowitz Doctrine." Washington follows through, for example, with efforts to expel Russian interests from historic areas of influence in the Caucuses. Is it irrational for China to be suspicious of American intent?

8) The U.S. Navy has already cut way back shore leave for sailors in foreign ports all over the world except South America, because it is so fearful of all the new enemies America has made. Sailors stay on board now for “steel beach parties.” (US News) This is typical of information not reported in conservative journals, because it would warn Americans of the "costs" of empire.

9) No major nation in the world, not even America's Asian allies, expressed support for American surveillance flights and the dispute with China. America is more and more isolated in the world because of Washington's arrogance and policies. DER SPIEGEL, Germany's leading weekly calls us now, "the snarling, ugly Americans," (America, the Roughneck, NY Times, 5/7) President Bush's new promise to defend Taiwan at all costs is a new twist of U.S. policy and violates earlier pledges made under Reagan and Carter.

10) About Panama----Hutchison-Whampoa is the largest professional port management company in the world. It also manages three of the largest ports in England. In Panama shippers who don’t want to use the company can use a competitor, according to a WALL STREET JOURNAL report at the time of the furor. Panama even recognizes Taiwan rather than Red China as the legitimate government of China. What Panama does do is play off the two China's against each other to get aid and benefits. The idea that China could “take over Panama” or its military bases is preposterous for anyone who knows Latin America.

11) Some Chinese leaders say war with America is inevitable (in the Far East over Taiwan) But what about American empire wanters? Neo-conservatives, the main "experts" on foreign policy for conservatives' meetings and lectures, urge increasing military expenditures by $100 billion yearly, more than we spent when communism was at its height of power, so that we can rule the world. America has legitimate concerns about Chinese nationalism and missile developments. But every dispute is inflamed by Washington's War Party........which thrives on conflict and (small) wars.

12) Admiral Blair, US Pacific Fleet Commander, decided on his own to increase surveillance flights from belief that they have "deterrent value." WASH. POST 4/7/01. In Washington these far flung American generals and admirals are now called our "pro-consuls," comparable to the Roman Empire's rulers. These flights reportedly took place daily, far more than necessary for "defense" and purposefully agitate China's military/nationalist elements.

13) Father Sirico of the Acton Institute has written about his many discussions with human rights activists on China. Never did a single one ever argue that there should be less American commerce, exchange of information, contacts or travel. Steve Moore argues that freedom generates its own dynamics; we Americans should trust its effect.

14) Trade is not just a two way Street. China’s export surplus with us offsets negative balances elsewhere, e.g. China buys iron ore from Peru and Peru buys computers from America. Everybody benefits. Also some $20 Billion of China’s surplus is from re-export of products from other Asian nations. Also many factories in China are owned by U.S. multi-national corporations. Cutting off American trade with China would be a devastating blow to world wide trade and bring on economic depression in many lands. Many, many of those who oppose China trade were also against NAFTA and growing trade with Mexico which has done so much to lift Mexican living standards and bring real democratic reforms. Their attacks against China for human rights violations are used as a cover for their opposition to trade,

15) China and Russia are allying because of Washington’s actions, particularly NATO expansion, the "surprise" attack on Serbia, the 10 year (brutal) blockade of Iraq, the cruise missile diplomacy of Clinton and threats emanating from neo-conservatives in Washington. See TheWarParty.com and Beltway Bombers. The fact of China's sales of rockets to Moslem states is a matter of concern, but Washington first introduced hi-tech weapons into the Mid-East with massive sales/gifts of American weapons to (friendly) Arab governments and Israel.

16) China is ruled by a bunch of bureaucrats and politicians who grew up under communism. They are not your killer communists of old (see The Black Book on Communism for what communism really is) and they are evolving China in the only proven way so far, first with an authoritarian dictatorship which allows economic freedom and property rights. Political freedom comes later, as it did in Chile, Taiwan, Singapore and so on. Those who want to keep calling them "communists" have another agenda.

17) Much of the world thinks that American concern for "human rights" is often hypocritical, just used to condemn American enemies of the moment and covered up for allies. For example, when does one hear of accusations about Saudi Arabia's or Kuwait's, Turkey's or Israel's human rights abuses?

18) The Chinese communist party is weak and weakening. It is trying to legitimize itself by inflaming and using nationalism. It is not omnipotent. U.S. policy should be to reinforce the freedom and free market elements, not play into the hands of the old guard with all its talk of war and empire. Instead, the Chinese Left and American Right each agitate and feed off the other's arguments to further conflict, much of our Right to justify more military budget and the Chinese Left to try to stop opening up the the West.

19) You can count on one hand the number of persons editing conservative magazines and op-ed departments who have lived in foreign nations outside of Europe or speak foreign languages. That is why the Neo-conservatives (a few of them speak French, but have an interest in foreign policy) have so much influence (that and controlling the 4 big foundations which fund many conservative organizations). There is almost no communication at meetings of conservatives between conservative intellectuals and representatives of multi-national corporations. The latter tend to be libertarian and are uncomfortable with the main focus of conservatives on social issues, while most conservatives simply have no interest in foreign nations.

20) Information opposing armed conflict with China is available on http://againstbombing.com/#CHINA , http://antiwar.com, http://cato.org.(search China).

Mr. Utley is the Robert A. Taft Fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute. He speaks 5 languages, studied history under Professor Carroll Quigley at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, and lived for 20 years in foreign nations, in business and then as a foreign correspondent in South America for THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE and Knight/Ridder papers.