As 2009 came to a close, human rights issues in China were hot topics as China executed a British citizen for drug smuggling and sentenced a ‘serial dissident’ to 11 years in prison. Demonizing China for its alleged human rights violations is a long observed tradition in Washington. This demonetization took on a greater furor when President Obama took a very low key approach to human rights in China during his visit to Shanghai and Beijing in November, 2009.
This was the first time in the history of relations between the two countries that Washington could not dictate to China about human rights or economic issues. China had come into own as a world power. This signified America’s decline due to ill advised wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, a world wide economic crisis largely caused by America and a burgeoning multi-trillion dollar deficit which is partially being financed by China. The realities of the world coming home to roost did not, and does not sit well with most Americas. The fact that America could not dictate to China about human rights anymore also was a great disappointment to international human rights groups and activists.
Particularly scathing criticisms of China followed the execution of British citizen and convicted drug smuggler Akmal Shaikh. Supporters of Shaikh, which included the government of Germany and Great Briton all loudly claimed that he was mentally ill, and thus should be exempt from execution. Washington was uncharacteristically quiet, due to the fact that it is the only democracy in the world that still executes convicted criminals, some of whom are considered to be mentally ill or retarded.
Naturally, China defended the execution and admonished its critics to stop meddling in its affairs, and rightfully so.
Chinese culture, and hence the Chinese judicial system is much different than Western cultures and judicial systems. In China, there is a very fine line between guilt and innocence. Either you committed an offense or you did not. Accepting responsibility and hence accountability for your actions is an integral part of Chinese culture. In the West, personal accountability is not typically on the agenda. Everyone is trying to make excuses for their anti social behavior; looking for sympathy and loop holes. This type of attitude is something that is an antithesis to Chinese culture. (more…)
