(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – People in the United States want their government to take human rights and minority rights into account when it deals with China, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 51 per cent of respondents feel this way, while 21 per cent would prefer to focus on the trading relationship.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – People in the United States want their government to take human rights and minority rights into account when it deals with China, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 51 per cent of respondents feel this way, while 21 per cent would prefer to focus on the trading relationship.
In 1949, the People’s Republic of China was established as a one-party state. In the 1980s, the ruling Communist Party of China (ZGD) loosened a series of authoritarian restrictions and allowed private enterprise for the first time in decades. The country currently has one of the world’s fastest growing economies, becoming a global exporter and a very attractive venue for foreign investors.
In April 2001, a U.S. spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter. The incident led to strained relations between the two countries, which culminated with a vote in the House of Representatives in July 2001. American lawmakers vetoed reimbursing China for the 11 days the plane’s crew was detained, and refused to cover the cost of the aircraft’s repatriation.
Earlier this month, Google—an American public corporation specializing in Internet search—threatened to withdraw its operations from China after thousands of its email accounts were hacked in that country. The company has suggested that the Chinese government planned the cyber attack in order to retrieve information about human rights activists
On Jan. 21, U.S. state secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton commented on the issue, saying, "We look to Chinese authorities to conduct a thorough review of the cyber intrusions that led Google to make its announcement. We also look for that investigation and its results to be transparent."
Yesterday, the Chinese government issued a communiqué, which read: "The U.S. has criticized China’s policies to administer the Internet and insinuated that China restricts Internet freedom. This runs contrary to the facts and is harmful to China-U.S. relations. We urge the United States to respect the facts and cease using so-called Internet freedom to make groundless accusations against China."
Polling Data
Thinking about America’s long-term foreign policy towards China, where do you think the U.S. government should place more emphasis?
|
On human rights and minority rights, regardless of the economic implications |
51% |
|
On the trading relationship, regardless of the human rights in China |
21% |
|
Not sure |
28% |
Source: Angus Reid Public Opinion
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,006 American adults, conducted in Jan. 19 and Jan. 20, 2010. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
