China’s Taikonauts Fly Again

In another sign of China’s arrival as major world power, China’s space program successfully put two Chinese “taikonauts” into orbit Wednesday using their Shenzhou VI rockets. The state-run People’s Daily newspaper has set up a website for tracking the progress of the taikonauts here. This is yet another boost to China’s self-confidence (the 2008 Olympics in Beijing is another) and another way for the Chinese government to demonstrate the success of its policies and rally nationalist sentiments.

Ironically, the launch took place the same day that the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China has released its (somewhat critical) annual report on human rights in China. I have to admit I had no idea that this commission existed. Apparently, it was created as part of the deal to get congressional support for admitting China to the World Trade Organization back in 2000. This is an odd creation: a free-standing commission existing solely to issue negative and critical reports about China. Even though China certainly deserves criticism, it is odd that the U.S. needs a full congressional-executive commission to complain ineffectually about China’s human rights practices. Isn’t that what the State Department is for?

In any case, no doubt most Chinese remain unaware of this and other reports detailing various human rights abuses in their homeland. A few might wonder why a country that has a per capita income of $950 is spending billions on a space program. But those are mere quibbles for most Chinese, who are probably breathlessly awaiting the return of their newest national heroes. Nationalism always trumps liberalism, at least in China today.