China joins in<\/p>\n
One of China's top foreign policy priorities in recent years
\nhas been to portray itself as a respectable member of the
\ninternational community.<\/p>\n
Such a responsible image would have been impossible to
\nmaintain if Beijing had blocked efforts to end the killings in
\nEast Timor. It would have been hard to reconcile such a stance
\nwith the concern expressed at the brutality inflicted on ethnic
\nChinese during last year's riots in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
It might also have created difficulties in achieving key
\nforeign policy goals, such as entry into the World Trade
\nOrganization.<\/p>\n
So now China has adopted a more positive tone, deploring the
\nrecent bloodshed and even agreeing to dispatch civilian police to
\njoin the peacekeepers.<\/p>\n
That marks a more serious involvement than the last time
\nBeijing participated in a UN force, sending engineers to Cambodia
\nin 1982.<\/p>\n
As a permanent member of the Security Council, China is in a
\nposition to play an important role in international affairs. In
\nthe past, that power has not always been exercised in a
\nconstructive way.<\/p>\n
But the decision to join the East Timor force, albeit with
\nmisgivings, suggests that Beijing is serious in its goal of
\nestablishing itself as a bigger player in the world community.<\/p>\n
-- The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/china-joins-in-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }