上一周我們談到了中美兩國外交上的尷尬。之後，我又發現了執行這個外交行動的白登副總統的尷尬。這就是被美國媒體所批評的：經常言談失誤。不過我還是很喜歡白登副總統的性格，這是典型美國人的性格：直率，敢說出心裏的話而不太顧及後果。換句話說，就是不屑於騙人。
美國的《華盛頓郵報》對白登副總統這次訪華提出了很嚴重的批評，說他這次訪華為了避免犯錯誤，已經拒絕了記者的採訪。但是，他在四川大學的公開講演中還是犯了兩個嚴重的錯誤。一個是說對中國的只生一個的強制計劃生育政策很理解；另一個是把人權說成是各自理解的概念，而不是普世價值。而我觀察他至少還犯有第三個錯誤：公開支持中國內定的接班人，干涉了中國的內政。
對前兩項批評我很認同，但不認為白登副總統是說錯了話。其實他沒說錯，而是說出了心裏話。大多數美國人是把人權當作自己生活的基本價值觀念，不能夠容忍侵犯人權的行為。中國的觀眾可以從所謂的美國大片中看得很清楚：凡是侵犯人權的人，不管多麼有錢有勢都一律定性為壞人。這其實就是一般美國人的價值觀念。所以美國的政治家必須關注人權，否則人們就把你歸入壞人一類了。
白登副總統可能是歲數大了，也不打算競選了，所以說話就隨便了一些，以至於露出了真相。這真相就是：隨着美國大資產階級在中國賺取了超額利潤，美國人的看法開始有了階級的差別。大多數人，也就是以中產階級為主的大多數人，仍然是正常的看法。而官僚和資產階級的看法則有了很大的變化。這是兩個雙重標準。
這些官僚和資產階級的第一個雙重標準是國內和國外的不同。他們對美國的人權還是一如既往的關心，因為這是他們自己生活的範圍，兔死狐悲，他們也不希望自己成為侵犯人權的受害者。所以對美國的人權他們保持着正常的心態。而對中國則完全相反。他們在那兒靠着中共的低人權優勢創造利潤。中國的人權和人權活動家在他們看來就是麻煩製造者。必欲除之而後快，至少也不會支持。所以的確，白登副總統說的正是他們的心裏話：不同的標準。
他們的另一個雙重標準則是內外不同。這些官僚和資產階級心裏想得是你們中國人就不應該有人權，嘴上說得是很關心你們的人權。如果你們為中國的人權呼籲，那麼就是不能從肉體上消滅，至少也可以在媒體上封殺。或者製造些謠言把你們描述成麻煩製造者，讓所有人都躲着你們。因為減少你們的影響力就是我們的利潤。如果有政治家支持你們，我們也可以不給他競選經費，甚至更嚴重的政治迫害也未可知。這種嘴臉我在多年前就看過了。
白登副總統和美國的很多政治家們，近年來已經越來越公開地採取雙重標準對待中國的人權。他們越來越不敢干涉中國的人權事務，甚至公開聲明人權不是美中關係的重點。一旦中共大喊大叫什麼干涉內政，美國政府差不多就要鞠躬道歉了。甚至把抗美援朝的歌曲唱到了白宮，美國總統和他的幕僚們也裝作不知道。
但這次很有趣的是，明明是公開支持一年多之後的中共接班人，明明是公開地、嚴重地干涉了中國純粹的內政，但美國人不擔心，中共也沒有抗議。雙方心照不宣。這可是中美關係中的尷尬。這可是背着美國選民和邪惡政權私下勾搭成奸，出賣中美兩國老百姓的利益。
當然白宮會解釋說這全是為了美國的利益，為了人民幣升值好增加美國的就業。但是為什麼中共政府也沒有按照慣例抗議呢？這其中的貓膩就是雙方心照不宣的內容：白宮要求的人民幣升值，是以不損害大資本的超額利潤為界限的選舉秀。由於這其中的分寸很不好掌握，所以需要當面秘密會談，而且不能讓媒體知道。
中國方面顯然不願意干涉美國的內政，以免下錯了賭注將來不好收場。更重要的是共產黨吃定了美國大資本這個大賭注，有沒有美國總統的支持都一樣。不像日本、台灣那樣的民主政治受美國的影響，中國的獨裁政治只在乎中美兩國大資本的影響，而不在乎民意的影響。所以中國的習副主席說：你們還是不要來麻煩我們，自己照顧自己吧。所以白登副總統的訪問也是前恭而後倨。會談之後的態度已經不太友好了，顯然沒有達到之前的最低估計。
為什麼如此高調又熱情的訪問會有這麼反常的結果呢？為什麼熱臉會貼了共產黨的冷屁股呢？這是因為雙方的政治家都沒有理解對方的思維習慣。奧巴馬政府的官僚們以為共產黨會講交情，可以投桃報李。以為支持他們主管外交的繼承人，會換來共產黨的小小的幫助。殊不知共產黨連自己人都沒有所謂的交情，冷酷無情是他們的傳統思維。過去是只講共產黨的黨性，現在是只講統治集團的利益。他們和你美國人八竿子也攀不上什麼交情。才不過見了一次面，白宮就興高采烈地宣佈建立了什麼良好的工作關係。所有中國人聽了都偷着笑：幼兒園還是學前班出身的？
中共其實也不懂美國人。美國人講的是誠實的交易：欠了人情就一定要還。訪問前就強迫你欠人情，你既然接受了就不能不還。翻臉不認賬是躲不過去的。奧巴馬至少還有一年多的時間，足夠讓中共接受一次教訓了。正所謂敬酒不吃吃罰酒。美國人除了善良的一面，也還有強悍的一面。何況拯救美國的經濟是不同觀點的所有美國人的利益。在這上面耍蠻橫肯定會得不償失。
這才是拜登副總統和習近平副主席之間最尷尬的事情。
撰寫並錄音於2011年8月26日。自由亞洲電台播出。
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The Awkwardness of Vice President Biden
-- Wei Jingsheng
Last week we talked about the awkwardness of Sino-US relations. After that, I also discovered the awkwardness of Vice President Biden who is the implementer of this new diplomatic action. He is often criticized by the US media for making mistakes during his speeches and talks. However, I still like Vice President Biden's character, which is the typical character of the Americans: being frank, saying what is in his mind without taking into account the consequences. In other words, he has a disdain to lie.
The Washington Post's editorial board opinion has already raised a very serious criticism towards Vice President Biden's visit to China this time, saying that in order to avoid mistakes, he has rejected interviews from reporters. Yet, in his open lecture at Sichuan University, he still made two serious mistakes. One was to say that he "fully understands" China's coercive family planning policy concerning having only one child; the other was to say that "Maybe the biggest difference in our respective approaches is our approach to what we refer to as human rights," instead of saying that human rights are universal. And, in my observation, he made at least one more error: publicly supporting China's designated successors, interfering in the internal affairs in China.
I agree with the first two items of criticism of Vice President Biden, but do not think that he said the wrong words. He did not express it wrongly, he told the truth. Most Americans treat human rights as basic values in their lives, and do not tolerate human rights violations. Chinese audiences can see this clearly from the well-known American movies: those people who violate human rights, no matter how rich and powerful they might be, are always characterized as evils. In fact, this is a general value to the Americans. So American politicians must pay attention to human rights, otherwise people will put them in the basket of the bad guys.
Vice President Biden might be getting old, and does not intend to run for election, so he might speak more casually to the degree of revealing the truth. This truth is this: as the big American capitalists continue to make excess profits, Americans views have started to be different depending on which social class they are in. Most people, that are the majority of class people, still hold the normal view. But, the views of the bureaucratic and the capitalist classes have changed a lot. They have two double standards.
The first double standard for the bureaucratic and capitalist classes is that they treat home and abroad differently. They still, as always, have concern for human rights in the US because they live there. As Chinese say, when the rabbits are killed, the foxes are sad. They would not want themselves to become victims of human rights violations. Therefore, they maintain their normal minds towards human rights in the US. However, they have completely opposite minds regarding human rights in China, where they rely on the favorable conditions of a low human rights standard to make profits. In the view of these people, human rights in China and human rights activists are troublemakers. They would rather to see these human rights activists eradicated, or at least would not support these human rights activists. So indeed, Mr. Biden spoke out exactly what is in their minds: different standards.
Another double standard is that they treat the inside and outside differently. Although the bureaucrats and capitalists think that the Chinese people should not have human rights, what they say is that they are very concerned about Chinese human rights. If one appeals for human rights in China, then, if they could not eliminate him physically, at least they will block one's voice in the media. They will even create some rumors to describe him or her as a troublemaker, so everyone would avoid that person. Reducing the activist's influence is a profit for the capitalist. If a politician supports these activists, the capitalists will not give the politician campaign funds, and, who knows, maybe even raise more serious political persecution. I have seen this kind of countenance for many years now.
In recent years, Vice President Biden and many politicians in the US have become increasingly open to using double standards towards human rights in China. They are increasingly afraid to interfere in China's human rights, even to the point of publicly stating that human rights are not the focus of US-China relations. As soon as the Chinese Communist Party shouts "interference in internal affairs", the U.S. government apologizes in the way of bowing their heads to their toes. It has come to the degree that when the Chinese played anti-American and support North Korean music in the White House, the US President and his aides even pretended that they did not know.
But this time, it is very interesting. It is Americans who openly support the Communist successor who will not take over until next year. This public support is a serious interference in the purely internal affairs of China, but the Americans are not worried nor did the Communist regime in China protest. Both sides have a tacit understanding of each other. This is the awkwardness of Sino-US relations. The US administration makes deals with the evil Communist regime in private behind the back of the American electorate, and betrays the interests of both the Chinese and the U.S. people.
Of course, the White House will explain that it is doing so for the U.S. interests, in an effort to appreciate the Chinese currency so as to increase employment in the United States. But why didn't the Chinese government follow its practice of protesting? Because both sides understand that the appreciation of the Chinese currency requested by the White House is an election show within the boundaries of not damaging the excess profits of big capitalists. Because it is not easy to handle this understanding, there is the need of secret talks face to face without the media knowing.
Obviously, China has been reluctant to interfere in U.S. internal affairs, so as to avoid the wrong bet resulting in a bad ending in the future. More importantly, the Chinese Communist Party has bet well on big capital in the US, so it will be the same regardless of who is elected U.S. president. Unlike the democratic politics in Japan and Taiwan influenced by the United States, the dictatorial politics in China only cares about the influence of large capital in the USA and China, not the influence of public opinion. So China's Vice-President Xi said: You are better not to trouble us, take care of yourself instead. So Vice President Biden's visit started out with respect but met with an arrogant end. His attitude after the meetings was not very friendly; apparently he did not reach the minimum estimated result he wanted at the beginning.
Why did such a high profile and enthusiastic visit have such an abnormal result? Why was his warm face greeted with the cold butt of the Communist Party? Because the politicians on both sides do not understand the habits of thoughts of each other. The bureaucrats in the Obama administration thought that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cares about friendship and would reciprocate the kindness they offered. They thought that by supporting CCP's successor in charge of foreign affairs, they would receive some small help from the CCP in exchange. Little did these bureaucrats know that even within the CCP itself, the term friendship does not exist. Ruthlessness and cold is the traditional thinking of CCP. In the past, the CCP only cared about the Party's interests. Now, it only cares about the interests of the ruling clique. They are away from the Americans by more than six degrees of separation, so from where would this friendship come? Yet, the White House happily announced the establishment of a good working relationship after only one meeting. This kind of statement would make all the Chinese people laugh: are they in kindergarten or preschool?
But, the Communist regime does not understand Americans either. Americans talk about honest trading: when there is a debt, it has to be paid. Since the Americans agreed to support the successor chosen by the CCP, it should not return with "fix yourself, do not bother us" kind of attitude and the promises already made. Obama still has more than one year of Presidency, long enough to teach the CCP a lesson if he wants. As the Chinese say, if you do not drink that cup of alcohol as the way to accept respect, then you still have to drink that cup of alcohol as a punishment. Although Americans are kind, they also could be valiant, not to mention that saving the US economy is in the interest of all Americans regardless their viewpoint. For the CCP to play overbearing will for sure not be worth the effort.
This problem is really the most awkward thing between Vice President Biden of the USA and Vice President Xi Jinping in China.
