The Bush administration faces it's first genuine foreign policy crisis. Not the war in Iraq, not Saudi complicity in 9/11, nor the Bin Laden no show. The crisis centers around the BUsh daughters who have been very open about practicing Falun Gong (Falun Dafa), an ancient Chinese practice of meditation, gentle exercises, and the cultivation of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance.
To a Westerner this might seem like a harmless pursuit, but to Chinese authorities, Falun Gong is anathema. Accordingly, authorities have reportedly jailed, harassed, and killed hundreds of thousands of practitioners. The US government has known about these practices but have kept quiet because Wal-Mart gets 30% of is merchandize from China.
To a casual observer this seems like massive overreaction on the part of Chinese authorities. After all, the Gongers are not preaching revolution. Rather, they preach self-discipline in a country that is fast leaving most of its people behind in disease and poverty. What bothers the Communists is that this movement has grown so fast and might in time threaten the state, which is probably nonsence and paranoia. The government is not inclined to accept the Gongers as a just compensation for the soulless, spiritless, capitalistic place the country has become. Isn't one Arkansas enough?
Recent American administrations have ignored persecution of the Gongers because China is just too important a trading partner. After all, where else can you get ten cent chopsticks turned out by the millions by expert prisoners working for slave wages--and loving it.
But the US can no longer stay on the sidelines after the Bush daughters were shown on the cover of Celebrity Soup Magazines dressed in traditional Chinese garb, holding chopsticks at the ready, and saying, "We will go to the mat for the Falun Gongers." The inside coverage is quite tame, showing the daughters in deep meditation after speaking and moving their lips at the Republican Convention in New York.
That was enough to set China on its toes. US Ambassador Li Chi demanded an explanation and apology from the Bush administration, threating a diplomatic riff. The White House press secretary downplayed the incident, noting that he doesn't comment on the Bush daughters who were exercising their constitutional rights.
The comment inflamed the Chinese even more, and they intimated that unless the White House apologized, the Falun Gong would suffer even harsher consequences. The White House said it had forbiden the Gongers from sleeping in the Lincoln bedroom. Not enough, said Beijing. The Gongers would not be given a national holiday in the US! Not enough said Shanghai. The Gongers would not be allowed to participate in the don't ask/don't tell policy if they were in the military. Not enough, said Chongqing. The Gongers would no longer get seats at the 50-yard line during Notre Dame football games. Tiring of what they considered the runaround, Beijing said the White House response is as feeble as its Iraq policy. The White House took umbridge and said the Chinese should stick to their chopsticks. Beijing raised the ante and threatened to invade Taiwan. Just for spite it invaded Tibet again. China threatened new detente with North Korea. The US moved all its warships into the South China Sea. Wal-mart objected to the interruption of trade. The countries are on the brink.
Getting wind of this brinkmanship, Britney Spiers became a convert to the Falun Gong movement, had a giant panda tattoed on he bum, and sang Chinese opera outside the Chinese consultate in New York.
The Chinese begged for mercy.
Posted by Chuck at September 16, 2004 05:05 PM | TrackBack