Opinionjournal.com: China's Human Rights Record

North Brunswick, N.J.

Free people, free trade: But what to do when the latter conflicts with the former?

A few examples. In November 2003, a large cosmetics company required thousands of Chinese saleswomen to sign statements promising not practice Falun Gong (the peaceful spiritual practice made illegal by the Chinese Regime in 1999). Those who did not sign were subject to termination (and much worse after now being identified by the regime); the company only changed course after they received a strongly worded letter from key members of Congress. Further, American supplied Internet filtering technology made it possible for the regime to locate and arrest those whose Internet use they deemed a threat-among them Falun Gong adherents and democracy advocates.

The Chinese regime is proficient at manipulating free trade to shore up their power. Those who think free trade alone is the answer are ignoring the facts. All too often American companies, beholden to shareholders and the bottom line, are not the agent of change we hope for, as they appear eager to take a don't ask, don't tell position while some even take active roles in the violation of human rights.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/bminiter/responses.html?article_id=110004637