President Bush Renews China’s Favored-Nation Trading Status
President Bush blew it this time! And your editorial (“Just More Champagne for Beijing?” May 25) endorsing his decision to extend most-favored-nation status to China demonstrates a shocking lack of understanding as to what drives revolutionary reforms.
The incredible changes we see throughout the world are driven not by ideological desires, but by the bread-and-butter economics of everyday survival. The Soviets and their former Eastern European allies are moving towards reform because their economies are bankrupt after 40 years of pursuing the unworkable policies of Marxist economics. The changes in South Africa are not the result of the sudden enlightenment of President Frederik de Klerk as to the inherent justice of racial equality and human rights, but rather, the reforms are a recognition that his country is economically isolated and an international pariah.
History shows that U.S. trade policies have little to do with the concerns of common citizens. By extending MFN status to China, President Bush, his statements to the contrary notwithstanding, sends the message that the U.S. is prepared to accept the status quo and “do business” with those currently in power. By denying the Chinese government this much-sought plum of international trade, our government could have sped the process by which the Chinese themselves seek to reform their nation.
The truest axiom in the world today is that the need for economic reform drives political reform, not the other way around.
DREW J. PHILLIPS
Carson
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