Fishbed
Posts: 1822
Joined: 11/21/2005 From: Beijing, China - Paris, France Status: offline
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quote:
Consider PRC. This country is actually hostile toward the USA, not to mention many of its immediate neighbors, and it sees nothing wrong with supplying Iraq with a biological weapon, or Pakistan with plans for an atomic bomb (a copy of which was turned over to us by Lybia). A country that will not grant its own people civil rights - nor respect the rights of companies - is not going to respect its agreements on any subject. Thus the violation of deals about "don't use this computer for military purposes" and so on. Until a country has political principles of a sort we can relate to, it is a de facto enemy, and it should only be considered an ally if we are in the field and need their military help immediately. I have come to the conclusion, working over here and getting to know them, that some of our thoughts must get relativized in the way they can be explained much more easily with their own system of values, which is not at all the same as ours. I agree, as long as they are willing to do technological business with us for instance, as the demanding party, they should be the one to adapt themselves to our systems - but still, that's not simple. You mustn't neither be mislead by the human rights report about conditions of human rights in China - for the common people they are still better than in many country, and I do not exactly live in a big city... As in every country when it comes to human rights, remember we talk mainly about "marginal" people fundamental rights (but in this country "marginals" are maybe as numerous as inhabitants in my country...), prisoners, political "criminals" (and this kind of definition can be more or less wide, I prefer not to judge but I guess I will agree with your estimation in any case...) and all of these, not the kind of people you'll come accross in the street, but rather the one who are kept between 4 walls for a reason or another - the main difference is that, as a matter of fact, I'd be much more happy as a prisoner anywhere in the west rather than in China, no doubt. And about rights of the company, don't worry, the ones who are mainly upset are firstly the DoD's people rather than the businessmen, who clearly always find their mark - remember these "use this machine to make civil planes not military" or this kind of limitations are not made by the companies themselves, but are the results of decisions from the DoD and trade authorities, thus I wouldn't talk about company rights. Companies don't give a damn, they would sell anything to China without the now obligatory clearance from the State... About more basic economic "rights", 2002 congress anyway cleared the remaining obstacles for business, with the right to property "as long as it stays in legal limits" As usual, don't expect them to be clear and accurate the way we would like it to be... but that's just enough for western companies to make the money they are looking for I talk carefully with strange words, as I don't want to say anything more - you never now which is the level of, hum... watch of the internet police here, but by the way I think you understood my point, and be sure I understand yours too, and, let's say, I sometimes do more than simply "understanding".
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