A Times Editorial

China's freedom same as Cuba's

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 19, 2000

Congressional Republicans opposed to U.S food and medicine sales to Cuba say there's a big difference between China, a communist country with which the United States trades, and Cuba, a communist country with which it has not traded in almost half a century. But to read the State Department's latest human rights report, it's hard to see much difference when it comes to political freedom.

"The People's Republic of China is an authoritarian state in which the Chinese Communist Party is the paramount source of power," said the department's human rights report released last February. "Citizens lack both the freedom peacefully to express opposition to the Party-led political system and the right to change their national leaders or form of government. . . . Prison conditions at most facilities remained harsh."

"Cuba," the report said, "is a totalitarian state controlled by President Fidel Castro, who is Chief of State, Head of Government, First Secretary of the Communist Party and commander in chief of its armed forces. . . . Citizens do not have the right to change their government peacefully. . . . Prison conditions remained harsh."

China gets most favored nation status. It can purchase American jetliners and computer technology. Cuba, meanwhile, is not allowed to buy American food and medicine. Cuba lives with a U.S. embargo. Go figure.

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