Juneteenth celebrates the day when America’s last slaves were finally told they were freed. Despite being relegated to federal holiday status under the more sinister auspices of Black Lives Matter’s “race tally”, this is a sublime moment in American history and one worth celebrating. be.

In Washington, reprimanding the average American for the continued need to grapple with the legacy of slavery has become a full-time job for many. When the Biden administration is inaugurated, pledged Taking a “whole of government” approach to promoting “racial equality”. (Related: Blinken bows to Xi on Beijing visit, fails to secure critical military communications deal)

That is why the arrival of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is surprising. meet Today, I met with President Xi Jinping of China in Beijing. Blinken chose Juneteenth, the day of veneration, for his meetings with the leaders of the most prolific nations, which he insisted should be set aside for our leaders to consider the horrors of slavery. is more ironic than ironic. slave-holding state in today’s world.

I had a frank, substantive and constructive dialogue today in Beijing with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China. We discussed a variety of important issues, including the need to manage relationships responsibly. pic.twitter.com/Q8kuMm6kly

— Secretary Anthony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 19, 2023

China has a notorious dominance 100,000 Ethnic minorities, including Muslim Uyghurs, are subjected to atrocities in the camps, including: family separation and Sterilization. Chinese companies use Uyghurs as slave labor to produce products ranging from plastics to textiles and even some food products. (Related: Disney refuses to meet Uyghur massacre victims to discuss ties to China, Republican congressman claims)

The U.S. Department of Labor said the Chinese government is subsidizing companies that use Uyghur labor, increasing demand for the labor force. China is working with companies to ensure that Uyghurs are “controlled and monitored” while undergoing “political indoctrination.” Once detained, they are “usually subject to continuous surveillance and isolation.”

A long-outdated practice in the United States has been shattered by a more perfect application of its founding principles, and is still alive and well among our top competitors.

Blinken is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country since President Biden took office. Mr. Blinken not only met with Mr. Xi, but also paid tribute to Mr. Xi and the Chinese regime. This visit was part of our efforts towards .unzip” of growing tension over the past year.Mr. Blinken Major The goals were to “strengthen high-level communication channels” and “explore areas of cooperation for mutual benefit.” In other words, it aimed at smoothly resolving any problems that hinder the deepening of relations between the two countries.

.@SecBlinken He issued a statement after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying they agreed on the need to stabilize relations between the United States and China.

Full video here: https://t.co/cmwbjIUCKX pic.twitter.com/bCzGXBGUJE

— CSPAN (@cspan) June 19, 2023

Brinken said, Raised As for the Uyghur issue, it is unlikely that he insisted on it too strongly. Given how hard American leaders have been to promote economic interdependence with China over the last 30 years, it is certainly wise to poke the bear, even if America wants to. I don’t think so. If the goal is to defuse tensions, blaming China for human rights violations certainly does more harm than good.

But should stronger and smoother cooperation be an end in itself? Is it morally permissible to be so deeply involved in the country?

The common sense answer would be no. However, certain attributes of the liberal worldview will lead to different conclusions. Mr. Blinken may not believe there is hypocrisy between courting the Chinese regime abroad while his colleagues self-flagellate over racial injustice at home this holiday weekend. expensive.

Liberals, on the other hand, take an abstract and theoretical view of US-China relations. The end of the Cold War was meant to bring about “.end of history— the ultimate triumph of liberal democracy over all forms of totalitarianism.It wasn’t a question of if China would adopt our values, it was a question of when.. Over the past three decades, their increasing integration into the global economy and regulatory system has been intended to facilitate that process. At least, that’s what the “experts” assured us. (Related: CEO of America’s biggest defense contractor says it’s ‘impossible’ to stop relying on China)

Although this theory is no longer credible to honest observers, many people in Washington still cling to it. Perhaps they are true believers, perhaps unwilling to admit they were wrong. Perhaps they do not want to relinquish power in the current situation.

Either way, they are oblivious to its hypocrisy because they believe that greater cooperation is the only way China can move forward toward liberal democracy. If we continue to engage, China will eventually see the error in its ways and free its slaves just like we did long ago. By ignoring the Uyghurs, along with all the other issues that hamper China’s participation in the international order, US authorities are actually helping them for the long term.

But at the same time, officials like Blinken are gripped by deep anti-American sentiment.many really feel The United States has no moral standing to preach to other nations about human rights. If you really believe that systemic racism runs rampant in America, that black people are dangerous whenever they step out their front door, and that the legacy of slavery defines the psyche of this country, then in fact I We are morally equivalent to China.

For those who think this way, it is not hypocritical for the United States to remain silent about the Uyghurs. In fact, speaking up is hypocritical.

But what makes Juneteenth such a precious American holiday is precisely because it is an opportunity to reflect on the absurdity of this position. It’s worth considering how our principles led to the abolition of slavery and how throughout history we have been the exception to this rule. America has taken great strides toward fulfilling its founding vision and has served as a beacon of hope for people of all colors and creeds around the world. Pretending otherwise only allows revisionist forces like China to undermine American principles, and all the good they are doing, in favor of a much darker world order. is.