China’s leaders are desperate to prevent any repetition of the Tiananmen pro-democracy protests of 20 years ago. They have still not learnt to tolerate dissent or to treat all citizens equally, from Tibet to the ethnic Uighurs of the Xinjiang region. President Hu Jintao’s China can take pride in its huge advances. But it is not confident enough to give the Chinese people freedom of choice in a democratic vote. Until the rule of law is introduced, it will lack full legitimacy.

China also has to face up to its world role. Mr Hu made a good start at the UN General Assembly by taking the lead on climate change, and Beijing has another chance to pull its weight today by helping the West to confront Iran over its nuclear programme. Unless Beijing accepts the need for a firm stand on Iran, Zimbabwe or Darfur, it will fail to live up to the world power status it craves. Too often it sees the world purely in terms of its interests and economic advantage. If this is to be “the Chinese century”, it must put aside myth and confront its responsibilities. The Chinese people have stood up — but for what?

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Filed under: * International News & Commentary • Asia • China

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