For decades, the United States has failed to address the abysmal human rights record of China, the world's most populous nation, with sufficient clarity or strength.
As President Obama meets Chinese President Hu Jintao, he has a unique opportunity to correct this failure. For the sake of freedom, and the ultimate interests of both countries, he should seize the opportunity, advocating a new approach to conventional U.S.-China diplomacy. He should proclaim that a fundamental aim of our China policy is the expansion of liberty, including freedom of religion and belief.
Religion, like capitalism, is expanding rapidly in China. Involving hundreds of millions of people, it is one of the biggest parts of China's civil society, a point not lost on senior-level Communist officials. President Hu has acknowledged this fact, as well as the notion that religion can promote "morality" and "economic and social development."
Yet while China is lightening the regulatory load on business, it continues its egregious oppression of religious groups and individuals. Official recognition of religion is limited to those religious groups that have effectively surrendered control to the government by "registering" with the authorities.
Groups that refuse to register or that peacefully resist attempts at government control are deemed enemies of the state and are treated as such. Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, and movements like the Falun Gong face severe sanctions, including fines, confiscation of property, imprisonment, and torture in detention, as well as control over the selection of religious leaders, as evidenced in November by the appointment of a Catholic bishop without papal recognition. Thousands of individuals languish in jail and hundreds more are detained each year for peacefully expressing their beliefs or desire for greater religious freedom.
Chinese lawyers who defend religious freedom are often dealt the harshest abuse. There have been a number of "disappearances" of such advocates, most notably Gao Zhisheng, who defended Tibetans, Uighurs, the Falun Gong, and unregistered Protestants.
China's leaders insist that their goal is to strengthen and stabilize their nation. Yet their continued repression of peaceful religious minorities does nothing of the sort, and runs counter to their policies of greater freedom elsewhere, especially on the economic front. It is creating potentially massive discontent at home, while seriously harming China's image abroad.
China's policies fly in the face of abundant evidence suggesting that the way to create more peaceful, prosperous, and stable societies is not by repression, but through freedom. It is by respecting the dignity and worth of people, empowering and encouraging their participation in civil society by protecting their liberties. In line with its expansion of economic freedom, Beijing seems to understand this on trade issues, but a nation as big and diverse as China will remain neither stable nor strong by denying the parallel right of religious freedom. For both China and the world, freedom of religion and belief is no luxury, but a necessity.
As President Obama meets with President Hu, he can raise the issue of religious freedom as a matter of conscience. But equally important, he can challenge China to consider the tangible fruits -- diplomatic, security, political, and socio-economic -- it can obtain from fully protecting and promoting religious freedom and related human rights.
While public condemnations may be necessary, they are insufficient. Even when combined with private conversations, they will not move this rising power. The Administration must go beyond mere words, demonstrating that it believes respect for religious freedom is a fundamental strategic interest, and integrating this understanding into its overall China policy.
To that end, we strongly urge the Administration to do the following: become a consistent voice for those Chinese activists who are arrested and harassed; pursue religious freedom concerns in the various multilateral forums where the U.S. and China are members; coordinate with allies on pursuing a consistent human rights diplomacy regarding China; encourage the development and distribution of technologies to counter Internet censorship; and negotiate binding human rights agreements at the highest level of U.S.-China diplomacy -- the Economic and Strategic Dialogue.
If the President takes such action, it would advance our national interest and ultimately that of China by promoting freedom and its many benefits. For the sake of both nations, the President should use this meeting to ensure that religious freedom in China will be neither ignored nor bargained away again.
Leonard Leo is the Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Don Argue serves as Vice Chairman of USCIRF.
The European Magazine: Glasnost for the Middle East
Why don't we deal with our own human rights, sorely lacking for some segments of our population?
I think we should get our own house in order, before we start "fixing" others. I'm all for civil human rights everywhere in the world, and I know China is repressive to their citizens rights. That still doesn't give us the right to try and refurbish another country's culture to make it a reflection of ours.
In an ideal world everybody will have complete autonomy and human rights, that is what makes for equality. Religion doesn't change a thing. Look at the repression of rights of certain segments of populations that deny rights for religious reasons (Uganda wants to execute gays, women have no rights in most Muslim countries, misogynistic customs like FGM) and on and on.
Yes let's try to help China towards full human rights, by all means. But let's take care of ours first, so we truly are a shining example to the world. Right now we are sorely lacking, and the world is watching us.
Freedom of religion also means freedom FROM religion, that is a personal decision. Their churches are state run, that isn't "the separation of church and state" we're SUPPOSED to have here. So let's hope that eventually the Chinese people and other countries will be free to choose for themselves.
Here in our own country, we are sadly lacking in true religious freedom. Religious freedom unless you follow a particular religion, isn't free. We are not a "Christian Nation" no matter how you slice it. Yet a governor of a state is saying only followers of Jesus are his "brothers and sisters". In other words if you don't believe in his religion you don't matter. This is a representative of a state? For all people? The senior Bush said atheists were not American citizens. This is why we desperately need to fix ourselves before we try to "fix" others.
This country was founded as a secular country, recognizing the equality of all. Read the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution some time. Don't ignore the BILL OF RIGHTS either. These are the building blocks of our country, how about actually following them before we lecture to others?
I applaud Chinese communist efforts to reduce religious indoctrination in the population.
"There is not enough love and goodness in the world to permit giving any of it away to imaginary beings. "-- Nietzsche
US President Barack Obama admits that China's human rights record is "a source of tension" between the two governments http://www.newslook.com/videos/284652-obama-candid-on-china-s-human-rights-record?autoplay=true
The West has had enough of religion as well.
It once was useful, now it's mostly a pain.
This is an ancient nation with traditional cultures that predate Western society today. It might behove us to keep this in mind when throwing condemnations. The US does not fair well in the realm of human rights. Are religious freedoms more important?