Flexible France has no scruples about business, China and human rights

Sir, President Nicolas Sarkozy has suggested that France might boycott the Beijing 2008 Olympic inauguration ceremony in reaction to the violent crackdowns in Tibet. This is hypocrisy. If France had had its way in 2005, Chinese soldiers and police could have been using French guns in their attacks on peaceful protesters in the streets of Lhasa.

At that time France worked hard to scrap the European Union's embargo on arms exports to China. To underline its warm military relationship, the French navy held joint exercises with its Chinese counterpart. At one stage, only Sweden along with the Netherlands and a somewhat inconsistent UK withstood calls for lifting the embargo on arms exported from European democracies to China.

The controversy fizzled out right before high-level Chinese visits to a string of EU countries in 2005. The rising concern in Europe and the US Congress over Chinese human rights abuses, as well as France and Germany's spineless behaviour, had become an embarrassment for China.

The first lesson is that France holds no scruples but plenty of political flexibility regarding business, China, and human rights. Second, principled resistance and distinct protests against China can pay off. When outspoken demands on human rights become too uncomfortable, the Chinese leaders may change their policy.

Carl B. Hamilton,
Liberal Member of Parliament and Professor of International Economics