上一周我们谈到了中美两国外交上的尴尬。之后，我又发现了执行这个外交行动的白登副总统的尴尬。这就是被美国媒体所批评的：经常言谈失误。不过我还是很喜欢白登副总统的性格，这是典型美国人的性格：直率，敢说出心里的话而不太顾及后果。换句话说，就是不屑于骗人。
美国的《华盛顿邮报》对白登副总统这次访华提出了很严重的批评，说他这次访华为了避免犯错误，已经拒绝了记者的采访。但是，他在四川大学的公开讲演中还是犯了两个严重的错误。一个是说对中国的只生一个的强制计划生育政策很理解；另一个是把人权说成是各自理解的概念，而不是普世价值。而我观察他至少还犯有第三个错误：公开支持中国内定的接班人，干涉了中国的内政。
对前两项批评我很认同，但不认为白登副总统是说错了话。其实他没说错，而是说出了心里话。大多数美国人是把人权当作自己生活的基本价值观念，不能够容忍侵犯人权的行为。中国的观众可以从所谓的美国大片中看得很清楚：凡是侵犯人权的人，不管多么有钱有势都一律定性为坏人。这其实就是一般美国人的价值观念。所以美国的政治家必须关注人权，否则人们就把你归入坏人一类了。
白登副总统可能是岁数大了，也不打算竞选了，所以说话就随便了一些，以至于露出了真相。这真相就是：随着美国大资产阶级在中国赚取了超额利润，美国人的看法开始有了阶级的差别。大多数人，也就是以中产阶级为主的大多数人，仍然是正常的看法。而官僚和资产阶级的看法则有了很大的变化。这是两个双重标准。
这些官僚和资产阶级的第一个双重标准是国内和国外的不同。他们对美国的人权还是一如既往的关心，因为这是他们自己生活的范围，兔死狐悲，他们也不希望自己成为侵犯人权的受害者。所以对美国的人权他们保持着正常的心态。而对中国则完全相反。他们在那儿靠着中共的低人权优势创造利润。中国的人权和人权活动家在他们看来就是麻烦制造者。必欲除之而后快，至少也不会支持。所以的确，白登副总统说的正是他们的心里话：不同的标准。
他们的另一个双重标准则是内外不同。这些官僚和资产阶级心里想得是你们中国人就不应该有人权，嘴上说得是很关心你们的人权。如果你们为中国的人权呼吁，那么就是不能从肉体上消灭，至少也可以在媒体上封杀。或者制造些谣言把你们描述成麻烦制造者，让所有人都躲着你们。因为减少你们的影响力就是我们的利润。如果有政治家支持你们，我们也可以不给他竞选经费，甚至更严重的政治迫害也未可知。这种嘴脸我在多年前就看过了。
白登副总统和美国的很多政治家们，近年来已经越来越公开地采取双重标准对待中国的人权。他们越来越不敢干涉中国的人权事务，甚至公开声明人权不是美中关系的重点。一旦中共大喊大叫什么干涉内政，美国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宫，美国总统和他的幕僚们也装作不知道。
但这次很有趣的是，明明是公开支持一年多之后的中共接班人，明明是公开地、严重地干涉了中国纯粹的内政，但美国人不担心，中共也没有抗议。双方心照不宣。这可是中美关系中的尴尬。这可是背着美国选民和邪恶政权私下勾搭成奸，出卖中美两国老百姓的利益。
当然白宫会解释说这全是为了美国的利益，为了人民币升值好增加美国的就业。但是为什么中共政府也没有按照惯例抗议呢？这其中的猫腻就是双方心照不宣的内容：白宫要求的人民币升值，是以不损害大资本的超额利润为界限的选举秀。由于这其中的分寸很不好掌握，所以需要当面秘密会谈，而且不能让媒体知道。
中国方面显然不愿意干涉美国的内政，以免下错了赌注将来不好收场。更重要的是共产党吃定了美国大资本这个大赌注，有没有美国总统的支持都一样。不像日本、台湾那样的民主政治受美国的影响，中国的独裁政治只在乎中美两国大资本的影响，而不在乎民意的影响。所以中国的习副主席说：你们还是不要来麻烦我们，自己照顾自己吧。所以白登副总统的访问也是前恭而后倨。会谈之后的态度已经不太友好了，显然没有达到之前的最低估计。
为什么如此高调又热情的访问会有这么反常的结果呢？为什么热脸会贴了共产党的冷屁股呢？这是因为双方的政治家都没有理解对方的思维习惯。奥巴马政府的官僚们以为共产党会讲交情，可以投桃报李。以为支持他们主管外交的继承人，会换来共产党的小小的帮助。殊不知共产党连自己人都没有所谓的交情，冷酷无情是他们的传统思维。过去是只讲共产党的党性，现在是只讲统治集团的利益。他们和你美国人八竿子也攀不上什么交情。才不过见了一次面，白宫就兴高采烈地宣布建立了什么良好的工作关系。所有中国人听了都偷着笑：幼儿园还是学前班出身的？
中共其实也不懂美国人。美国人讲的是诚实的交易：欠了人情就一定要还。访问前就强迫你欠人情，你既然接受了就不能不还。翻脸不认账是躲不过去的。奥巴马至少还有一年多的时间，足够让中共接受一次教训了。正所谓敬酒不吃吃罚酒。美国人除了善良的一面，也还有强悍的一面。何况拯救美国的经济是不同观点的所有美国人的利益。在这上面耍蛮横肯定会得不偿失。
这才是拜登副总统和习近平副主席之间最尴尬的事情。
撰写并录音于2011年8月26日。自由亚洲电台播出。
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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.
