Western hypocrisy: China

Over the last few weeks we have witnessed the numerous protests against China as the Olympic torch is carried around the world.

Pro-Tibet protesters have attempted to disrupt the carrying of the torch on every leg of its journey. In the case of France the protests cut short the olympic relay.

The world’s media has shown china as oppressing the people of Tibet. Politicians have called on their leaders to boycott the opening ceremony and in some cases the entire Olympics.

Although china is oppressing the Tibetan population and not allowing them autonomy, it is a bit of an over reaction to start calling for a boycott. Would it not be better to engage with the Chinese government and attempt to influence them. But this is if the Western governments actually care about Tibet. They don't.

The reason for such an anti-china movement is in response to Chinas growing economical power. China is also asserting itself as a world super power, already investing heavily in Africa to ensure a supply of natural resources for the future.



Hilary Clinton has called upon George Bush to boycott the Olympic ceremony. Gordon Brown has said he will not be attending, his reasons are not clear.

What is amazing is the extent of the hypocrisy shown by Western states and media. Maybe china should boycott America and Britain for embarking on an illegal war in Iraq resulting in tens of thousands of civilian deaths. Why is it that the western media seem to ignore America’s human rights abuses, illegal prisons and numerous accounts of torture?

Britain sells billions of pounds of arms to tyrannical regimes, Saudi Arabia for one. Extraordinary rendition, detention without charge and . Western countries have no right to preach about human rights to anyone.


The attitudes shown towards China are a classic example of Western colonial orientalist thinking; how some western states have the moral high ground and can preach to China.
China is portrayed as a foreign entity with different people, customs and language. This may all be true, however this reinforces racism within peoples minds, and sense of racial superiority.