Political Quotes

“Congress failed to fund the President's rule of law initiative last year. We should not make that mistake this year. Congress and the administration should continue to resist sanctions and economic penalties that will only make the situation worse, but we must develop a stronger policy to put pressure on China to begin a dialog with the Dalai Lama and providing autonomy for the people of Tibet. An important step was taken last month when Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Julia Taft was named as the State Department's Special Coordinator for Tibet. This resolution argues for an additional step the United States can take. It urges the administration to support and work for the passage of a resolution condemning China's human rights abuses at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. While we should acknowledge China's progress in many areas and continue to encourage China in search of greater progress, we should also use the forum of the United Nations Human Rights Commission to let China and the world know that China's human rights abuses are unacceptable. Ultimately, China's leaders must come to understand that the economic freedom that have until recently championed--and which they still know is necessary for China to fully modernize its economy--must advance together with social and political freedom.”