On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 14:42:36 GMT, "James Oberg"
wrote, in part:

Short of Saddamizing the Beijing regime, we should find patient, productive
engagement strategies that encourage trends we want to see. Openness rather
than secrecy, civil application rather than weapons, sensitivity to the
opinons of foreigners rather than arrogantly isolationist (e.g., Norkor),
those look like trends encouraged by this activity. But you're suggestions
are also critically important -- don't delude ourselves into thinking the
regime, or the nation that it has shaped for generations, is 'like us' in
any fundamental way except survival instinct. Remember our real differences.

What most saddens me about this is that it will delude many young
Chinese further into primitive nationalism and uncritical support of
their regime. That will delay the day when China wakes up and realizes
it has taken a wrong turn.

John Savard
http://home.ecn.ab.ca/~jsavard/index.html