If China’s human rights record can be ignored, then it’s hypocritical to uphold the embargo against Cuba.
Or, are there significant differences between the two situations?
Or, would it simply be a second mistake, opening up trade with China being the first mistake?
Golly, Rev, you won’t get no argument from ME on either country’s finally bein’ allowed to come back downstairs and mingle with the grownups, even if they still won’t promise never to say the f-word again in front of Aunt Martha.
The only reason we made Cuba stay upstairs so long in the first place was because her boyfriend, Russia, kept thumping around on the front porch, pushing his ugly mug up against the windows and making faces at all the relatives. But now he’s gone, so what’s the point in punishing Cuba any further?
As for China, well, whatcha gonna do, some kids are just always gonna have problems, but maybe you can set an example for them, and they’ll eventually get the hang of it and start acting civilized.
P.S. Besides, if you make somebody stay upstairs too long, there’s always the chance that it’ll turn him just pure poison mean, and we don’t want that to happen, now do we?
Part of the inconsistency of our policies with China and Cuba stem from concerns more practical/realistic than ideological.
Sure, to have an ideologically consistent stand against Communism, we should (theoretically) enforce a trade embargo against both countries. However, there are differences.
First of all, Cuba is so much closer to the U.S, and thus right in our backyard, as it were. More incentive to keep them in line.
Second, and perhaps most important, China is huge and has the potential for a world-leading economy. I believe the U.S. feels this is inevitable, and wants to establish the best relations possible to get in on the action and also to get in on the ground floor of economic influence. I personally don’t think China cares one whit what we have to say about their human rights (or other) policies, but extending trade relations as we have at least gives us somewhat better standing.
Expanding on this; I think the U.S. hoped a trade embagro would cripple Cuba and force Castro out either by insurrection of the people or desperation of the Cuban government to make its own changes. No way in Hell this would ever play out in China regardless of U.S. policy.
Also, Cuba always had the backing of the USSR to help pick up the slack from the trade embargo. I don’t think the USSR would have given China a bowl of maggoty rice regardless. So, in effect, our stance against Cuba could be seen in part as a proxy protest against the USSR and its influence 90 miles off our coast. No such effect for our relations with China.
Of course, now that the USSR is no longer, the Cuba dynamic is somewhat changed. So, the case can certainly be made for a change in trade policy with them. It is not an easy situation and direct comparison between our relations with Cuba and China is difficult.
And I still think the U.S. is holding onto the embargo to force Castro out, returning Cuba to some semblance of a democracy. Maybe if we thought we could accomplish this with China, we would have a similar policy. But that ain’t gonna happen.
There’s also the issue of the collectivization of US proprty.
Amen, brother!
Who wants to smoke a Chinese cigar?
divemaster, you forgot the biggest reason: the huge lobby of Cuban-Americans threatening to hold their breath until they turn blue (or something like that) if the US lifts the sanctions.
No, the biggest reason why we “like” China, is the millions of $$ in brib… er “campaign contributions” the Chinese pay to BOTH parties.