China must face consequences
Friday, April 11th, 2008Greg Sheridan; 10/4/08
Kevin Rudd has handled a difficult assignment in China with courage and integrity. This was never more evident than in his comments about Tibet to students at Beijing University yesterday. The trip’s structure overemphasises China, creating an added burden in managing relations. That leg of the trip has been dominated by China’s recent brutal crackdown in Tibet, and the resultant international protests against the Olympic torch as it makes its way towards Beijing. Rudd began the trip with honesty at his joint press conference with US President George W. Bush. Before Bush did so, Rudd raised Tibet and said it was plain that there were human rights abuses being carried out by China against Tibetans and that China should engage in dialogue with Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
