Communist China and Vietnam's media charm offensive

During President Hu’s visit to Sudan he offered economic aid and more investment in Sudan’s oil industry. Darfur was not mentioned publicly at all.

The United States has complained to China for decades that many in China violate international laws and standards on intellectual property rights such as copyrights and trademarks by producing “knock offs” of everything from Rolex watches to major motion pictures like the blockbuster Titanic. These violation cost business and owners in the West tens of billions of dollars a year.

But the copyright infringement discussion pales in importance to China’s vast array of human rights abuses.

As we get closer to the Olympics next summer, one can expect some saintly behaviour and some angelic pronouncements from China. But after the last gold medal is awarded we caution everyone against saying anything negative about their communist Chinese Olympic hosts.

We doubt that there will really be a new playbook.