Say What to Hu?

As President Bush prepares to meet with Chinese President Hu Thursday in Washington, D.C., National Review Online asked a group of China experts for their advice to our president when dealing with Beijing this week and onward. The entire symposium can be viewed here. Dan Blumenthal’s comments are below.

Resident Fellow Dan Blumenthal

Over a decade ago we launched our “comprehensive engagement policy” toward China, the primary purpose of which was to anchor Beijing in the international system and secure its acceptance of the status quo.

A secondary purpose was to promote China’s democratization, guided by a belief that trade leads to liberalism. In the meantime, when we noticed a rapid build-up of the People’s liberation army, we strengthened our alliance with Japan and formed a strategic partnership with India. Now that China has been comprehensively engaged, yet has skillfully eluded democracy, we are troubled by its international behavior. It has provided diplomatic cover to Sudan and Iran, and is beginning to flex its military muscles. We are adjusting our rhetoric: China should become a “responsible stakeholder” in the international community, but we are hedging in case it does not.

If China is going to be a responsible stakeholder now is the time to show it. President Bush should ask Hu Jintao to state unequivocally that China stands ready to sanction Iran. A responsible stakeholder must risk energy deals to meet this grave challenge to international peace. Should China refuse to do so, and continue to equivocate on other areas where “responsibility” is called for–say, North Korea–Beijing can expect more hedging and less engaging.

Dan Blumenthal is a resident fellow at AEI.