Tiananmen Square Leader: The Significance of the US Senior Official Meeting with Me for the 1st Time

Published in Asahi Shimbun
(Japan) on 14 Oct. 2020
by Koichiro Ishida (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Kelsey Lechner. Edited by Jamye Sharp.
The U.S. is fortifying its attack on China’s human rights record. China’s treatment of Muslims, including the Uighur ethnic minority, as well as its harsh crackdown on the Hong Kong democratic movements, are problematic. It has established domestic laws, one after another, concerning human rights and enacted sanctions on high Chinese and Hong Kong officials. On the other hand, Donald Trump’s behavior has been dismissive of both domestic and international human rights. From the perspective of wanting China to democratize, how trustworthy is American diplomacy against China? I asked Wu'erkaixi (52), one of the student leaders in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

Ishida: “America is putting more pressure on China regarding the state of human rights. The policy toward China is at a turning point. How do you see it?”

Wu'erkaixi: “2020 has been an important year. COVID-19 started spreading in China and then to the rest of the world. People in every country had someone they love come into contact with the virus, and so they’re starting to think about China. The criticism I’ve long had of China, that its Communist Party is a threat to modern civilization, was often ignored as megalomaniac, but now people are starting to listen.

This change was brought about because of Trump coming onstage, the mass incarceration of Uighurs and the changes to Hong Kong, the city of freedom, but it was COVID-19 that dealt the decisive blow.”

Ishida: “The U.S. had Keith Krach, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, visit Taiwan in September, and this was the highest-ranking active U.S. official to visit Taiwan since diplomatic ties were cut in 1979. You met him on his visit, didn’t you?”

Wu'erkaixi: “I had met with members of Congress before, but this was my first time meeting a senior government official. The U.S. has clearly changed its standard of behavior that it had previously been taking to avoid Chinese opposition. They realized that it would be in their own interest to siege China on human rights.”

Ishida: “But the U.S. administration might change in November with the election, and if the U.S. receives some concessions in the trade negotiations with China, it might change its hardline stance toward China about human rights again. Aren’t you worried about that?”

Wu'erkaixi: “I have my concerns, but on the other hand, I believe in the United States. Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a lot of influence on human rights. Last year, which was the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, she spoke in memory of the victims and unanimously approved a resolution in the House of Representatives urging China to provide an accounting of the crackdown. She had long been telling me that both Democrats and Republicans in the House were on the same page about their attitude toward China. Even if Joe Biden wins the election, it would be difficult for him to revise Trump’s attitude of only cooperating with countries with the same values as the U.S. and to return to the past political friendship the U.S. had with China.”

Ishida: “Isn’t it possible that the American economic world will put pressure on the government? Isn’t the Chinese market still pretty desirable?”

Wu'erkaixi: “I guess part of the American economy doesn't want worsening relations with China, but China doesn’t follow the rules of the market. The U.S. is trying to corner China to force them to follow the rules.”

Ishida: “What do you hope out of Japan?”

Wu'erkaixi: “Japan’s in a complicated spot. Being neighbors, it views China as a threat but also feels some guilt (because of its record during World War II). However, the Hong Kong people’s movement struck a chord with the whole world, and the sacrifice the Uighurs have paid also shocked the world. Countries are already starting to change their view of China. I hope the people of Japan will understand the human rights issues and democracy movements in China and support people’s efforts toward a resolution.”

Wu’erkaixi was born in 1968 and was one of the student leaders in the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Afterward, he left China and was denied reentry. He lives in Taiwan and works as a political commentator. He is a Uighur and is an honorary chairman of an organization supporting Uighur scholars in forced labor in China. His mentor during university was Liu Xiaobo, who won the Nobel Peace Prize.


米国高官が初めて私と会った意味 天安門事件のリーダー

米国が中国の人権問題をめぐって攻勢を強めている。中国による少数民族ウイグル族をはじめとするイスラム教徒の処遇や、香港の民主化運動への強硬な取り締まりを問題視。人権関連の国内法を相次いで成立させ、中国や香港政府高官に制裁を科した。一方で、トランプ大統領は国内外で人権軽視ともとれる言動を続けてきた。中国の民主化を求める立場からみて、米政府の対中人権外交はどこまで「信頼に足る」のだろう。1989年の天安門事件で学生リーダーの一人だったウアルカイシ氏(52)に聞いた。

 ――米国が中国の人権状況をめぐって、圧力を強めています。対中政策は転換点にありますが、どう見ますか。

 「2020年は特別な1年だ。中国で最初に流行した新型コロナウイルスが世界に広がり、各国の人々が親しい人の感染に接し、中国のことを考えるようになった。『中国共産党は現代文明に対する脅威だ』などという私の中国批判はかつて、誇大妄想だとしばしば無視されてきたが、今は人々が耳を傾けてくれる」

 「こうした変化は、トランプ米大統領の登場、ウイグル族の大規模拘束や自由都市・香港の変容を経てもたらされたが、決定打はやはり、新型コロナだった」

 ――米国は9月、クラック国務次官を訪台させました。現職の国務省幹部では1979年の台湾断交後で最高位となりましたが、その際、クラック氏と面会しましたね。

 「米国の国会(連邦議会)議員と面会したことはあったが、政府高官との面会は初めてだった。米国は明らかに、中国の反対で避けてきた行動の基準を変えた。人権問題で中国を包囲することは、自国に有利だと気付いたためだ」

 ――ただ、11月の米大統領選で政権が変わる可能性もあります。また、米国が対中貿易交渉で譲歩を得た場合にも、人権問題で対中強硬姿勢を変えるという心配はないですか。

 「懸念はある。ただ、一方で米国を信じてもいる。民主党のペロシ下院議長は人権派の有力者だ。昨年、天安門事件から30年が経つにあたり、議長として、犠牲者を追悼し中国に調査を求める決議案を全会一致で採択させた。私にもかつて、中国に対する下院の姿勢は民主、共和両党で一致していると語っていた。仮にバイデン氏が大統領選に勝利しても、トランプ政権が唱える『価値観を同じくする国々との連携』を改め、過去の対中友好政策に戻るのは難しいだろう」

 ――米国の経済界が政権に圧力をかける可能性はないでしょうか。中国市場は今も魅力的なのでは?

 「米経済界の一部は対中関係の悪化を望まないだろう。ただ、中国は市場のルールを守らない。米政府の中国包囲網には、中国にルール順守を迫る狙いがある」

 ――日本に期待することはありますか?

 「日本の立ち位置は複雑だ。中国を隣国として脅威だとみる半面、(戦争の歴史をめぐって)申し訳なさも感じているからだ。ただ、香港の人々の運動は世界を感動させ、ウイグル族が払った犠牲は世界を震撼(しんかん)させた。各国はすでに中国への見方を変え始めている。日本の人々が、中国の人権問題や民主化運動を理解するとともに、解決に向けた人々の取り組みを支持してくれることを願っている」

 1968年生まれ。89年の天安門事件の学生リーダーの一人だった。事件後に中国を離れ、再入国を拒まれている。台湾に住み、政治評論家として活動。ウイグル族で、中国で服役するウイグル族の学者を支援する団体の名誉主席を務める。ノーベル平和賞を得た劉暁波氏は大学時代の恩師。

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