In WTO, China must still fix rights record

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The world missed an opportunity to use the benefits of its
globalized organizations to force China to clean up its human
rights record. Instead of using World Trade Organization membership
as leverage, the world’s most powerful nations admitted China
into the world’s strongest economic alliance this
weekend.

Now that China is a part of the WTO the best chance at coercing
the country into correcting its atrocious disregard for human
rights lies with the watchful eye of the international
community.

Ideally, the WTO should have set strict standards for
China’s admission ““ standards that would have required
them to make reasonable progress in correcting their human rights
record.

Realistically, however, excluding China from the world economy
is not feasible ““ and with its admission into the WTO, now a
non-issue.

China has the world’s ninth largest economy and it is
growing at a faster rate than that of any other nation.
China’s importance to the American and world economy was
recognized by the U.S. granting them Most Favored Nation status
last year, which gives it increased international trading benefits.
China also has the world’s largest population and many
untapped markets other countries could enter and benefit from
““ markets that could rival the saturated markets of economic
giants such as Japan and the U.S.

From an economic standpoint, there’s no denying that China
and the world will benefit from its entrance into the WTO ““
it only takes a look at its past economic activity to understand
why. In 2000, it was the seventh leading exporter and eighth
largest importer of merchandise trade. It was also the 12th leading
exporter and 10th largest importer of commercial services. Easing
trade restrictions and making relationships more friendly will
benefit every nation who deals with China as well. The U.S.
particularly will benefit: it accounts for 21.5 percent (more than
any other country) of China’s exports and 11.8 percent (only
behind Japan) of its imports.

This success, while a positive step forward, should not
overshadow the necessity of keeping China accountable for its human
rights problems.

It will be difficult, but not impossible.

Its entrance into the WTO may help its human rights record in
two ways:

First, the increased spotlight on China may force it to respect
human rights in order to maintain favorable standing within the
international community. The debate surrounding China’s
hosting of the 2008 Olympic games proves people are watching.

Second, increasing China’s international commerce will
simultaneously expose its people to the democratic values of other
nations and increase China’s per capita gross national
product. Nations with wealthier citizens are less likely to
tolerate human rights infractions.

It’s too late to set more rigorous standards for China
before entering the WTO ““ but it’s not too late for the
international community to set reasonable expectations and redirect
China’s respect for human life.