America Setting a Double Standard Is the Same as Connivance with Terrorism
On April 23, a serious case of terrorist violence occurred in Maralbexi County, Kashgar Prefecture in our nation’s Xinjiang Province. This terrorist activity justifiably received the condemnation of every Chinese ethnic group, but Washington, D.C. made some noise.
At a series of U.S. Department of State press briefings on April 24, a spokesperson not only refused to acknowledge the Chinese determination that this was a violent terrorism event, but also did not express condemnation of this enraging terrorism, instead delicately hinting at Chinese ethnic, judiciary, human rights and religious policy, making a big show of being “serious” in requesting China to carry out a “thorough and transparent investigation” and “take steps to reduce tensions.”
The aim of America’s conduct is to use self-contradictory language, like “violent confrontation,” “unfortunate acts of violence” and such phrases to describe the situation, obscuring the true nature of events, confusing the violent and terrorist nature of events, then using “human rights” and such language to use this event to steer Chinese government policy. It’s not at all unusual for America to act this way; this reflects America’s double standard regarding counterterrorism.
After the events of 9/11, the Chinese government and people have shown American people sympathy; both sides have acted cooperatively in the field of counterterrorism. But regarding the East Turkestan Liberation Organization issue, Americans have repeatedly supported a double standard, rejecting classifying some ETLO terrorist separatist organizations as terrorist organizations. On the contrary — in their eyes, ETLO terrorist forces become “victims,” heroes and fighters, striving for “freedom,” “democracy” and “human rights.” In this way, America fosters the threatening actions of divisive ETLO forces, misleading America and public opinion, which amounts to connivance with — even support of — terrorist acts targeted at China.
Terrorism is simply terrorism, no matter what kind of political aim it results from, what country it targets or what group. With regard to the recent Boston bombing incident, the American government determined it to be an act of terror. American President Obama vowed that “America will not give into terrorism.”* Contrasting this with America’s conduct toward ETLO terrorism, one cannot help but reach this conclusion: Terrorism that targets America is terrorism, but it’s harder to say for terrorism that targets China: perhaps it then becomes an issue of “human rights” or “democracy.”
The victims of terrorist acts are not separated by national borders or ethnicity. In the Boston bombing incident, one of the lives lost was a Chinese citizen. In the Xinjiang terrorist bombing incident, many Uighur comrades sacrificed themselves. Oftentimes there are also Americans killed in terrorist attacks that occur in other countries. But America seems to separate terrorism according to its so-called “system of values” into “bad terrorism” and “good terrorism.” America holding a double standard on the issue of counterterrorism doesn’t only impair China’s counterterror efforts; in reality, it is also shooting itself in the foot. America refused to repatriate suspected terrorist Chinese nationals held at Guantanamo Bay back to China on the basis of human rights; after individual terrorist suspects are released, they are reabsorbed into terrorist organizations — this is clear proof.
America holds a double standard on the issue of counterterrorism, once again clearly demonstrating their two-faced Sino-policy to the Chinese people. Such behavior by the U.S. runs counter to promoting mutual trust and strengthening cooperation between the two countries. Such behavior by the U.S. will not pose a challenge to China’s counterterrorism resolve — furthermore, it cannot disturb the current cooperation among Chinese ethnic groups.
*Editor's Note: Although accurately translated, this quotation could not be verified.
At a series of U.S. Department of State press briefings on April 24, a spokesperson not only refused to acknowledge the Chinese determination that this was a violent terrorism event, but also did not express condemnation of this enraging terrorism, instead delicately hinting at Chinese ethnic, judiciary, human rights and religious policy, making a big show of being “serious” in requesting China to carry out a “thorough and transparent investigation” and “take steps to reduce tensions.”
The aim of America’s conduct is to use self-contradictory language, like “violent confrontation,” “unfortunate acts of violence” and such phrases to describe the situation, obscuring the true nature of events, confusing the violent and terrorist nature of events, then using “human rights” and such language to use this event to steer Chinese government policy. It’s not at all unusual for America to act this way; this reflects America’s double standard regarding counterterrorism.
After the events of 9/11, the Chinese government and people have shown American people sympathy; both sides have acted cooperatively in the field of counterterrorism. But regarding the East Turkestan Liberation Organization issue, Americans have repeatedly supported a double standard, rejecting classifying some ETLO terrorist separatist organizations as terrorist organizations. On the contrary — in their eyes, ETLO terrorist forces become “victims,” heroes and fighters, striving for “freedom,” “democracy” and “human rights.” In this way, America fosters the threatening actions of divisive ETLO forces, misleading America and public opinion, which amounts to connivance with — even support of — terrorist acts targeted at China.
Terrorism is simply terrorism, no matter what kind of political aim it results from, what country it targets or what group. With regard to the recent Boston bombing incident, the American government determined it to be an act of terror. American President Obama vowed that “America will not give into terrorism.”* Contrasting this with America’s conduct toward ETLO terrorism, one cannot help but reach this conclusion: Terrorism that targets America is terrorism, but it’s harder to say for terrorism that targets China: perhaps it then becomes an issue of “human rights” or “democracy.”
The victims of terrorist acts are not separated by national borders or ethnicity. In the Boston bombing incident, one of the lives lost was a Chinese citizen. In the Xinjiang terrorist bombing incident, many Uighur comrades sacrificed themselves. Oftentimes there are also Americans killed in terrorist attacks that occur in other countries. But America seems to separate terrorism according to its so-called “system of values” into “bad terrorism” and “good terrorism.” America holding a double standard on the issue of counterterrorism doesn’t only impair China’s counterterror efforts; in reality, it is also shooting itself in the foot. America refused to repatriate suspected terrorist Chinese nationals held at Guantanamo Bay back to China on the basis of human rights; after individual terrorist suspects are released, they are reabsorbed into terrorist organizations — this is clear proof.
America holds a double standard on the issue of counterterrorism, once again clearly demonstrating their two-faced Sino-policy to the Chinese people. Such behavior by the U.S. runs counter to promoting mutual trust and strengthening cooperation between the two countries. Such behavior by the U.S. will not pose a challenge to China’s counterterrorism resolve — furthermore, it cannot disturb the current cooperation among Chinese ethnic groups.
*Editor's Note: Although accurately translated, this quotation could not be verified.