Sinomania!

KYOTO, JAPAN & ROME, NOVEMBER 2005 — In a week when the Italian public learned that the USA military used chemical weapons in its efforts to make the Iraqi people "free" President Bush lectured China on its need for "freedom" and "democracy."

The speech itself (given in Kyoto, Japan) is a bland meander of outdated dogma on how economic growth subservient to an international rule of law must lead to American style multiparty political systems.

Although billed in the USA press as a warning to China (for example see this absurd treatment by the PBS network show NewsHour) Bush once again reaffirmed his commitment to the One China Policy and his government's adherence to existing communiqués with Beijing.

The coverage of this nonevent by PBS's NewsHour is illustrative of the complete anti-China bias in the American press.

After highlighting only the subtle criticisms of China in the speech (China has only made the "first steps" toward freedom, "demands for political freedom will grow," and the inevitable comparison to "free and democratic and prosperous" Taiwan) the show, hosted by Ray Suarez, featured a panel of China "experts."

On one side was Wonhyuk Lim, a Korea specialist with the right-leaning (particularly on China) Brookings Institution. On the other was Liao Tienchi deputy publisher of the China Information Center described as a "nonprofit organization promoting free speech and expression in China."

The ensuing discussion (if you can seriously call it that) was a dull rehash of outdated talking points on China and its human rights record. Mr. Lim did have one very good point about the lack of strategic vision for Asia (and China specifically) by Bush and his administration.

What made the segment so illegitimate was the lack of disclaimer about Ms. Liao's affiliation. Her organization is in fact created and run by Harry Wu, a naturalized Chinese famous as a "dissident" and for his crusade against mainland China.

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