China's international partners, Ireland included, are re-evaluating their attitude towards human rights violations in that country as part of their more intensive political and economic engagement with Beijing. The critical question is whether these issues are more effectively addressed in bilateral fashion, without resort to high-profile resolutions in multilateral forums, or whether the new orientation is an opportunist capitulation to diplomatic and commercial pressure from a Chinese government anxious to adopt a more normal international profile.
The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has told this newspaper the Government is looking again at its policy. Last year Ireland voted for a Danish-sponsored resolution at the annual United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva, following the defection of France, Spain, Germany and several other member-states from the joint EU approach. As a result, China targeted a number of the smaller states which voted for it by hostile diplomacy and in some cases by cancelling contracts and visits. Ireland escaped lightly from such attention, largely because of the underdeveloped state of trade and political contacts.
High-level contacts are now under way between the European Commission and the Chinese government with a view to finding alternative means of pursuing a dialogue on human rights, which have been given a more prominent profile in the EU's external relations. One suggestion is that a rapporteur on human rights in China might be appointed by Mrs Mary Robinson, the new UN High Commissioner, obviating the need for an EU resolution. If this was accompanied by a more focused and sustained EU-China dialogue on human rights, even those member states that have been most vocal on the subject could be assured that it would be a more effective means of addressing issues such as political prisoners, Tibet and freedom of expression. President Jiang Zemin's successful visit to the United States last week shows it is possible to combine greater equality in China's relations with western powers, with dialogue and pressure over human rights and deepening economic relations. It will be up to the Chinese government to demonstrate that it can address its side of such a bargain in what is now a more engaged relationship. Evidence that this is so over coming months would be an important indication of good faith.
Dr Woods is in China with a large group of Irish fishing representatives, on the first ministerial visit for over three years. He acknowledged that the extraordinary pace and scale of China's economic development should have merited more attention from the Government. It needs, as he put it, to do more homework on the Chinese market. He usefully highlighted the opportunities for food exports and shortcomings in trade promotion arrangements which have seen them neglected by State agencies. More political and diplomatic attention and resources should be devoted to China and the Asian region. Compared to other smaller EU states Ireland's commitment is decidedly underdeveloped in this part of the world. Dr Woods's visit looks like a success in this perspective. It should be followed up by a more thoroughgoing effort, which puts political, human rights and economic relations with China on a more mature footing.