No one in the White House will tell you exactly where in the world Chinese-made weapons are found. An oblique characterization says China “does business” with Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Syria.
Historically that’s been enough of a concern for Washington to impose economic and technological sanctions against China, but in this year of living dangerously, even while the administration calls nations dealing in weapons of mass destruction “evil,” criticism of proliferation is giving way to “shared global interests.” It’s a classic case of back door diplomacy and “constructive engagement” with public statements and closed meetings, and wondering how the administration balances what it thinks, what it says, and what it does.
Guests:
Thomas Christensen, Professor of Political Science at MIT