An Open Letter to the United States President George W. Bush on His Upcoming China Visit
(Nov. 02, 2005)
Please Express Your Concerns over Democracy to China
(boxun.com)
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November 1st, 2005
The Honorable President of the United States of America
Mr. George W. Bush,
While your November China visit is nearing, we, some concerned Chinese in China and abroad over the US-China relations and China's reform, would like to state our support of the US policies and actions in pushing for further transformation in China.
We greatly appreciate Mr. President's words, in your second term, that the paramount goal of the US foreign affairs will be advocating global democracy and freedom, which we take as including promoting China's democratic reform. It is now perhaps the very time to show to Chinese the US concerns over democracy in China.
We highly regard the efforts of the US government in the past years in helping improve China's human rights conditions. Meanwhile, we realize that the root cause of the bad Chinese human rights conditions in key areas is the lack of institution of democracy. A successful US human rights policy toward China should not only raise concerns over China's human rights record, but also urge China to start the process of democratization.
We understand Mr. President's concerns over freedom of religion in China. But before Chinese regime gives up its control over religious activities, in compliance with the norms of democracy, Chinese people can hardly enjoy real freedom of religion.
Having impressed us is also the United States' work in promoting China's rule of law. However, without democracy and an independent judicial system that separates the ruling party from law enforcement and judicial organs, the rule of law in China cannot be advanced in any substantive steps.
We welcome and embrace Mr. President's support of the free elections in Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and other former communist countries. We also believe that Mr. President is aware of the fact that none of the Chinese government officials at all levels was elected freely. It includes all of the people's delegates above county level.
Since the end of the Cold War, communist China's rapid rising has become one of the most far-reaching phenomena in the world' s economic, military, and diplomatic arenas. More and more US politicians, military leaders and even the general public begin to worry how a rising China will exercise its increasing influence in the world. If China rejects to become a part of the world's democratic camp but instead continues to support tyrannical and irresponsible regimes such as North Korea, Burma, Iran, Sudan, Belarus, Cuba, and Venezuela, China's rising could pose a serious challenge to the United States, which we view as the world's principal democracy, as well as the international order and the global strategic balance.
The vast majority of Chinese love peace. They would like to see a China that invests its growing wealth into improving its people's living standard and enhancing comprehensive social advancement. If this will of the vast majority Chinese cannot become true by means of establishing a democracy, the rising national strength of China may well direct itself to conducts that will trouble the world. Just as Mr. President correctly pointed out, without democracy and freedom in other countries, there will be neither security for the United States nor stability for the whole world.
The United States led global counter-terror campaign is now succeeding. And so the US need of China for the campaign is diminishing. In parallel and simultaneously the differences in political and security areas between the United States and China are widening. We believe it is now necessary and practical for the United States to balance its China policy with its counter-terror effort, as well as its commercial interests in China and its call for democratization there.
If the US President not only holds talks with top Chinese leaders on issues such as North Korean nuclear problem, bilateral trade and economic disputes, and Taiwan Strait affairs, but also expresses his hope for democratic reform in China and urges Chinese leaders to carry out internationally recognized standard of democracy, it will help China move forward with the world trend of democratization and liberalization. We are convinced that this is also a reflection of the bipartisan consensus and the mainstream public views in the United States.
A popularly elected US President should be able to express his concerns over democratization not only to self-appointed Chinese leaders but also to Chinese people who enjoy no universal suffrage right. It is our suggestion that Mr. President, during your China visit, touch base with genuine and independent Chinese non-governmental organizations as well as average Chinese to hear from them about their longing for democracy, social justice and world peace. Doing so will effectively help improve the image of the United States in the eyes of Chinese, rally more support of US-China friendship, and offer encouragement and inspiration for Chinese people to strive for democratic reform.
Should the United States and China, as two of the most important nations in the world, fail to dialogue and cooperate on a democratic basis, not only will they find it hard to rationally resolve their differences, but their conflicts will only intensify. This will be a vastly negative impact on the world in the twenty-first century. A free and democratic China is not only in the best interests of Chinese people, but also peoples of the United States and the whole world.
We respectfully expect, Mr. President, that you will be the first United States president who directly and explicitly expresses democratic concerns to China.
Signed (in order of signature time through October 31st, 2005):
Fang Jue (drafter and initiator of the open letter, Chinese political activist living in the United States)
Xu Kang (legal adviser to a Chinese state enterprise)
He Guangchang (Chinese businessman)
Li Shengli (laid-off Chinese state enterprise employee)
Bai Yongxiang (laid-off Chinese state enterprise employee)
Wang Youcai (Chinese political activist living in the United States)
Xu Shuiliang (Chinese political activist living in the United States)
Zhao Xin (Chinese Independent writer)
Xiao Yong (Chinese Independent painter)
Yi Feng (Chinese Independent writer)
Liu Jingsheng (Chinese human rights activist)
Hu Jia (AIDS volunteer in China)
Ma Wendu (Chinese freelancer)
Xue Zhenbiao (Chinese businessman)
Li Xiaolong (Chinese freelancer)
Gao Haibin (Chinese freelancer)
Donghai Yixiao (Chinese independent writer)
Mark Polo (Chinese lawyer)
Xing Zheng (member of the University of California faculty)
Qi Zhiyong (Chinese human rights activist)
Pang Meiqing (Chinese human rights activist)
Jia Jianying (Chinese human rights activist)
Li Hai (Chinese human rights activist)
Chen Qinglin (Chinese human rights activist)
Wang Guoqi (Chinese human rights activist)
Kang Yuchun (Chinese human rights activist)
Zhou Guoqiang (Chinese human rights activist)
Qian Yumin (Chinese human rights activist)
Liang Qiang (Chinese human rights activist)
Yang Tianshui (Chinese human rights activist)
Chen Xi (Chinese human rights activist)
Che Hongnian (Chinese human rights activist)
Li Guotao (Chinese human rights activist)
Dai Xuewu (Chinese human rights activist)
Yang Qinheng (Chinese human rights activist)
Ouyang Yi (Chinese human rights activist)
Zhang Lin (Chinese human rights activist)
Xu Wanping (Chinese human rights activist)
Li Renke (Chinese human rights activist)
Lu Yongxiang (Chinese human rights activist)
Zeng Ning (Chinese human rights activist)
Kang Cheng (Chinese human rights activist)
Li Guang (Chinese human rights activist)
Ma Zhixiong (Chinese human rights activist)
Chen Bin (University of Illinois scholar)
Zhou Jian (Chairman of Independent Federation of Chinese Students
& Scholars)
Chen Shuqing (Chinese human rights activist)
Yu Tielong (Chinese human rights activist)
Fan Xueqin (laid-off Chinese state enterprise employee)
Lu Yulan (laid-off Chinese state enterprise employee)
Shan Chengfeng (Chinese human rights activist)
Wang Donghai (Chinese human rights activist)
Xu Guang (Chinese human rights activist)
Wang Rongqing (Chinese human rights activist)
Gao Haibing (Chinese human rights activist)
Wang Fuhua (Chinese human rights activist)
Chi Jianwei (Chinese human rights activist)
Wang Zhejun (Chinese human rights activist)
Zhang Yida (Chinese human rights activist)
Cheng Fan (Chinese human rights activist)
Zhao Baobin (laid-off Chinese enterprise employee)
Dong Gan (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
Jiang Wenzhu (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
Wang Shiyun (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
Xiong Fusheng (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
Wu Fusheng (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
He Zhengyou (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
Fu Zhengguang (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
Zhao Yujiang (Chinese migrant worker from a rural area)
(boxun.com)
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