How China deals with US high-handedness

The only thing former defence minister George Fernandes and Zhao Yan have in common is that both were mistreated by American officials but their reactions makes for a study in contrast.

China has raised hell over the treatment meted out to the 37-year-old Chinese businesswoman who was hit by an officer of the US Customs and Border Protection force at Niagara Falls on the US-Canadian last week.

US officials had confiscated marijuana from a male pedestrian and one of the officers, identified as Robert Rhodes, pepper-sprayed and repeatedly struck the Chinese woman from Tianjin suspecting her to be an associate of the drug smuggler.

The Chinese government and the media have lashed out at the US with a leading newspaper calling it a manifestation of the 'US arrogance on the world stage'.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing took up the matter with his US counterpart Colin Powell on Monday and demanded a thorough probe against the US official and justice for the Chinese citizen. According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Powell has promised an enquiry.

Rhodes has been charged with violating Zhao's civil rights and, if convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

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Fernandes, then India's defence minister and convener of the then ruling National Democratic Alliance, was twice strip-searched at Dulles airport in Washington in early 2002 and in the middle of 2003 but neither the Indian leader nor anyone in his government had even thought it fit to lodge a protest or even confide in the nation.

It was left to former US deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott to disclose the treatment meted out to Fernandes in his book Engaging India - Diplomacy, Democracy and the Bomb.

After the disclosure was widely reported in the Indian media in July, Fernandes confirmed the incidents but was at pains to emphasise that 'nothing like a striptease happened'.

Fernandes admitted that he was asked to remove his coat, shoes and socks, which he did. "The I was asked to spread my arms and raise them and after that khel khatam ho gaya (the game was over)."

Seeking to put a lid on the controversy, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, during his recent visit to New Delhi, apologised to Fernandes for the incident and said he was 'horrified' to hear about it.

Zhao's ordeal was reported on the front page by the Chinese media, which questioned the credentials of the US to boast about being the guardian angel of human rights in the world.

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"The world knows the US propensity for pointing fingers at others in human rights protection. But who is the real threat after all?" the China Daily wondered in an editorial piece.

China and the United States often spar on the sensitive issue of human rights. Both Washington and Beijing have been issuing separate critical reports on each others' alleged poor human rights situation.

"The logic is reminiscent and representative of US arrogance on the world stage. The Americans can kill any one they think is a potential threat to their precious lives, or beat an innocent woman half to death on the flimsiest of excuses," the leading English-language newspaper said.

While condemning the conduct of the US security agents as 'criminally inhuman', the paper said, "Together with their commanders in Washington, they are painting a shameful image of their country.

"A swift and thorough investigation must be launched to bring the culprits to justice," the daily demanded.