October 18, 2001

President Bush's diplomatic skills will get a workout over the next few days in Shanghai. Instead of talking economics, the usual subject at this annual autumn gathering of 21 Asian and Pacific Rim nations, Mr. Bush will be trying to strengthen the international coalition against terrorism that he has been assembling since Sept. 11. He should use his meetings with other leaders, including Presidents Jiang Zemin of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia, to clarify what help they are prepared to offer and what they expect in return.

China has given strong rhetorical support to the American campaign against terrorism and has shared intelligence with Washington. It appears to have encouraged Pakistan, a close ally, to stand with the United States. In return, it seems to expect America and other countries to accept its mischaracterizations of the Falun Gong spiritual movement and separatists in Tibet and Xinjiang as terrorists. Mr. Bush should firmly decline.

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Category: Falun Dafa in the Media