China's Communist regime has recently cracked down on free speech and political opposition, arresting a large number of anti-Communist representatives for the opposition within its borders.

The United States and the rest of the Western world quickly called these actions unacceptable. However, there are no signs of any changes in the United States' policy toward China. President Clinton's policy has much support in the long run. Sanctions have not changed the leadership in small countries like Cuba or Iraq and are even less likely to be successful in an enormous country like China.

One still wishes, however, that something could be done to support those who fight for freedom of speech and democracy within China.It is easy for us in the United States to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world and enjoy our own freedom. But what is the value of our freedom if we lack the moral commitment to fight for other people's freedom? Who knows when we may need the help of others to protect our own freedom?

China's President Jiang Semin argues that the stability of the Chinese state is more important than human rights. Semin fears that chaos and anarchy would ensue if people were allowed to organize an opposition to the Communist regime. Semin has a point when he argues that such chaos would be a disaster for the economic stability of China.

No one would benefit from the loss of financial and material property and poverty that economic crisis would cause. However, there is little hope that the current forced, artificial stability will be efficient in the long run. Even more important, human rights should not be neglected for material gain.

Materialism is still a major factor in the United States' relationship with China. China is not only one of the United States' largest trading partners, but it is also the last major financially stable market in Southeastern Asia. China has managed to resist many of the enormous financial problems that Japan, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia have faced. Political instability in China would most likely lead to a Chinese economic crisis that would bring the rest of the Asian economy even greater problems.

Deeper economic problems in Asia would be detrimental to the U.S. economy. It is therefore unlikely that Clinton would like to see any political instability in China.

Most American politicians are more afraid of a struggling U.S. economy than a lack of human rights on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. American voters have proven to be unforgiving when their material needs are not satisfied, but they usually have much shorter memories about human-rights violations overseas.

Therefore, Clinton and the rest of the political elite on Capitol Hill will continue to say that they care about human rights in China, but the mighty dollar will still have the final word in Washington.
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