The Obama administration is stepping up its attempts to court China's support for isolating Russia over its military intervention in Ukraine. ...
In making his case, Obama appealed to China's well-known and vehement opposition to outside intervention in other nations' domestic affairs, according to a White House statement.
Oh, so close. Not bad, that non-interference angle. But I think we could get some more mileage by working on the angle of Crimea seceding from Ukraine, which is a recognized member of the international community.
If Crimea can have a vote and leave Ukraine, might not that be a template of action for Tibet?
Or, if the Chinese rightly think that Tibetans are unlikely to organize a vote with China's heavy presence, what about Taiwan? how might that vote go if the Taiwanese are asked if they want to formally separate from China?
Unless China really wants this secession principle in order to pry away the Russian Far East one day if Chinese immigrants outnumber the Russians in some border areas, I'd think China doesn't want this precedent.
But I'm pleased to see indications of actual smart diplomacy being practiced.
