Instead of providing a democratic model that Chinese companies could follow, American companies and not only go to China for the advantage of paying a lot less for the same work. The fact that our government tolerates and encourages such practices must change.
After the 1989 massacre in Tiananmen Square, one of the sanctions imposed on China was to be denied any World Bank loans. A year later, the sanction was reduced as China was supposed to improve its human rights practices in order to get World Bank loans. This measure, as many others, was never applied, as China is now one of the main beneficiaries of World Bank loans and has done little in changing its human rights practices. Despite the fact that U.S. could have used its influence in the World Bank and impose strict sanctions on China, it preferred not to do so, most probably based on economic interests in the country. "In the case of neighbouring Myanmar (Burma), where U.S. economic interests are comparatively insignificant, the United States endorses a ban on all World Bank lending." (Kourous, Barry, p. 2, 1996).
Since 1989, the policy applied in China by the U.S. government regarding human rights has proved to be vaguely efficient, particularly because of the lack of strict economic sanctions. Despite the fact that the U.S. government has created several policies aimed at improving human rights in China, few of these programs work and they anyway do not have the necessary impact that can result in a change.
Despite the economic interest that U.S. has in China, assuring that the Chinese government changes its policy and improves human rights practices should be a priority. Our country should continue to respect its beliefs and support the spread of democratic principles throughout the world. In the end, with improved human rights conditions, China could emerge as a better trade partner.
Stricter economic sanctions are needed and trade with China should be conditioned by a change in their human rights practices, but these actions are more likely to be efficient if applied by the international community. U.S. should be an example in what regards human rights as this is one of our founding principles.
Bibliography
China (includes Tibet, Hong Kong, and Macau)," Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, March 8, 2006, available at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61605.htm;
Christensen, Nick, a Standoff Between Giants: America's Policies Towards the Human Rights Record of China, December 9, 1998, available at http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rtanter/F98PS472PAPERS/CHRISTENSEN.NICK.CHINA.HTM;
Kourous, George and Tom Barry, "U.S. China Policy: Trade, Aid, and Human Rights," Foreign Policy in Focus, Vol. 1, No. 5, November 1996.
