Introduction
A common image in America is an image of hippy protester out on the streets holding up a homemade sign that says “free Tibet”. Surely the hippy has good intentions, but what does “free Tibet” mean? Does it mean that China should just cut the Tibetans loose, and allow them to form their own state? Would even the Tibetans want that, to go from being part of a world super power, which offers them some security and wealth, to a potential third world state that is land locked? Maybe, but what the sign that says “free Tibet” means free Tibet from the situation that deprives them of their human rights. Or maybe there is a third option, that the hippy carrying the “free Tibet” sign does not understand the reality of the situation in China, since more than likely He or she cannot locate Tibet on a map, he/she probably thinks Tibet is between the state of sweet and sour and Thailand. But on a serious note, what the government of Mainland China is accused of is horrible beyond thought, and could only be compared as less sadistic, and evil than the events that took place under Nazi Germany, and the governments that participated in the Dirty War in Latin America. The level of horror is not being debated, but what is being debated is the lack of understanding from the people outside of mainland on the rationality of thinking of Mainland China to commit such acts.
Why it Matters
Why does it matter if Mainland China violates human rights or not? It matters because Mainland China is the second world power as of today, and soon if not already other states will follow in the footsteps of Mainland China. China could be setting a precedent to change the international norm that all violation of human right regardless of what the U...
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...uarterly 12.1 (1998): 74-102.
REUTERS. "China Aims to Fully Mute Dalai Lama." www.nytimes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Ever since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, the legitimacy of the revolution of which it was built upon has perennially been in question. For example, in a 1999 issue of the International Herald Tribune, a prestigious scholar claimed that all of China’s tragedies are ‘sustained by a mistaken belief in the correctness of the 1949 revolution’ and that the future progress of China depends on the recognition that the revolution was a failure. However, the CCP government was certainly not perfect and its most significant failures were its political failures such as the Anti-rightist movement and the Cultural Revolution and also economic failures such as the great leap forward. Millions of peoples were falsely accused and persecuted during the political movements of the Mao period as the CCP focused on class struggle instead of economic development during the period and tens of Millions of peoples died due to starvation as there were widespread food shortages during the great leap forward movement.
Amidst the chaos of political instability and constant warring of the Zhou era, arose many intellectual thinkers that brought such profound impact in the field of politics, religion and philosophy. Even to the day, their influence can be espied in the many matters of China. Confucianism became the paramount school of thinking and later significant philosophies such as Daoism and Legalism gained immense recognition as well. Each party had their own proposals for creating an idealistic political society where the many problems they faced in their everyday lives could be eliminated. All three approaches were very distinct but at the same time, they contained certain similarities as well. In my reasoning, I find that Confucianism and Daoism could be paralleled in many ways to find several common grounds. On the other hand, Legalism goes on to take a more unique approach which was much different from the previous two.
The Chinese have repeatedly tortured, imprisoned, and murdered Tibetans all for what they claim is national unity. While the oppression of the Tibetan people began in the 1950’s with the invasion of China, it continues just as strongly today. From religious oppression and unfair trials to the torture of nuns and monks, the Chinese abuse even the most reverent aspects of Tibetan culture. Political prisoners, whether they are monks, nuns or lay people, are tortured with utter disregard for human rights. Chinese laws have also been established to eradicate the Tibetan people entirely. Women often must endure forced abortions and sterilization due to Chinese birth policies. Through all of these crimes against humanity, China repeatedly commits acts of genocide as established by the United Nations.
Tung, R. J. (1980). A portrait of lost Tibet. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Confucianism is a philosophy and way of life formed in China by Confucius, an early Chinese philosopher. It began as a simple concept with ideals of personal virtue, simple filial piety, and basic gender distinctions and social inequalities. But, over time with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism it began to transform into a way of life that was degrading towards women with certain hostilities towards rivaling religions. In its early period, from around 500 B.C.E to the Common Era, Confucianism changed in that it became the leading belief system and a major part of Chinese tradition. From the transition into the Common Era to the end of the Classical time period, Confucianism was altered because of a loss of popularity following the collapse of the Han dynasty and the corruption in the governing political system. In its ending period, the post-classical era, Confucianism underwent perhaps its biggest adjustments with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism. The ideas and virtues presented in the “rebirth of Confucian philosophies” of intolerance of foreign religions and extreme filial piety...
The Dalai Lama expresses the importance of publicity that has first been generated by the Tibetan Freedom Concert. Not only did it create awareness for the Chinese as the Dalai Lama suggested; it also created awareness around the world, especially in North America. Ask any North American teenager,"What they feel towards the idea of Tibetan oppression from the Chinese?", just ask him "Where Tibet is?" three years ago and he would probably look confused and answer by asking "Would you like fries with that?".<THIS MADE VERY LITTLE SENSE.> Ask that same teenager now, and he would likely give an educated response. The Tibetan Freedom Concert is just an example of how powerful modern media is if it can be used properly.
...ghur rights, as human beings, being violated, and who's responsibility is it to make sure that rights aren’t violated, as well as if China is living up to its responsibilities as a world power, to take care of its people.
Hong, Andrew. "Confucianism and Filial Piety." Andrew Hong, Reformed Second Generation Chinese Ministry. N.p., 5 May 2008. Web. 2 Nov. 2013. .
China currently rules the Tibet region. Tibetans desire autonomy , the right of self-government. The conflict between the two began in 1950, when the Chinese took over Tibet . The oppression of religion and freedom of speech, as well as the constant rejection of Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has caused anger . This has caused at least 148 self-immolations in Tibet since 2009 , as a form of protest over the Chinese rule. Self immolation, the act of committing suicide via setting fire to one’s self, has in the past been used as a political based protest against the abuse of human rights, and suppressive governments . In addition, pro democratic students in Hong Kong have protested demanding the right to vote in their own leader. There was an ongoing protest against the proposed law change, by students pitching tents in the middle of Hong Kong and sleeping in them. 57 Year old man living in the camp, Thomas Hung, said, “The government right now is doing many shameful things, and we want to let all the Hong Kong people know that we are still here, we will not back off.” Over time, students finally packed their tents , concluding in a seven-hour raid, where 7,000 police officers arrested the final remaining 247 protesters who chose to remain. They removed wreckage and demolished all remanent of the protest swiftly. Both key issues at the time, were anti-government.
Rinpoche, Samdhong. Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism in Today’s World; forward by 14th Dalai Lama. (Tibet: World Wisdom, 2006), 264.
Nivison, David S. The Ways of Confucianism: Investigations in Chinese Philosophy. Ed. Bryan W. Van Norden. Chicago and La Salle, IL: Open Court, 1996.
From the beginning of their establishment, the bilateral relations between the United States of America and China have changed throughout the time. The bilateral relations of the two countries emerged from 1970’s with the ‘Ping-Pong’ diplomacy and there have been many pauses in their mutual relations. The US and China enjoyed cooperation in economic and military spheres and the mutual relations grew massively during until the end of 1990’s. The heads of the two states began visiting each other’s countries and the economic ties were tightening year by year. However, the issues of human rights and free speech declined mutual Sino-American relations. The American principle of democracy promotion and human rights protection minimized the Sino- American relations after the Tiananmen Square events in 1989, the US Presidents-George Bush and Bill Clinton- playing a key role in determining the further American foreign policy towards China.
Xiaobo, L., (2011), ‘Two Essays on China’s Quest for Democracy’ Journal of Democracy, 22(1): 154-166.
Chang, King- yuh, The Impact of the Three Principles of the People on China (Taipei, _____Taiwan, Republic of China, National Chengchi University, 1988) pp.vii
Since the initial warming of U.S.-China relations in the early 1970’s, policymakers have had difficulty balancing conflicting U.S. policy concerns in the People’s Republic of China. In the strange world of diplomacy between the two, nothing is predictable. From Nixon to Clinton, presidents have had to reconcile security and human rights concerns with the corporate desire for expanded economic relations between the two countries. Nixon established ties with Mao Zedong’s brutal regime in 1972. And today Clinton’s administration is trying to influence China’s course from within a close economic and diplomatic relationship.