Wang Dan

Re “China Talks: the Right Choice,” editorial, Nov. 1:

I appreciate your sympathy for Wang Dan and your criticism of the tyranny of the Beijing government. However, I strongly disagree with your position regarding the trade relationship between the United States and China. Human rights violations in China are not just a moral revulsion as you depicted. It is a critical issue that will ultimately affect the stability of China. While the Chinese Communist regime boasted of its economic achievements, a recent report by the World Bank indicated that over 25% of the people in China earn less than $1 a day. Meanwhile, many government officials are driving Mercedes-Benzes in coastal cities. Such stratification is caused by government officials’ corruption and monopolization of oppor- tunities.

What Wang Dan and other dissidents did was merely to point out the problems. Unfortunately, rather than listening to constructive opinions of the dissidents, the Chinese Communists chose to close their ears and silence the voices of the dissidents. The result will be more injustice and more stratification. It won’t be long before the Chinese people cannot tolerate these problems any longer and will erupt in anger toward the Chinese Communist regime.

Millions of dollars of U.S. investments are at stake. U.S. businesses should understand that trade and human rights in China are not separable issues. Therefore, President Clinton’s decision to de-link trade and human rights in China is a bad choice that should be revoked.

SAVIO N. CHAU

Hacienda Heights