The Value and Limitations of Diplomatic Documents - Essay Example

Discussion on the Value and Limitations of Diplomatic Documents (U.S foreign Relations) as a source for understanding the formulation of American Policy towards China from both a nationalist and communist view Diplomatic documents can be defined as written documents sent by the foreign relations department of one state to the international relations of another state. These diplomatic documents are majorly in the form of an official letter, note, memorandum or an aide-memoire. Through a diplomatic document, a government can make claims, protest or conclude an agreement with the other government. Through an understanding of the diplomatic documents, one can understand the values, as well as the limitations of the United States foreign relations. Furthermore, the diplomatic documents help one in understanding the criteria used in formulating the U.S policy towards China from a nationalist as well as a communist view. The relationship between China and the U.S in the past few years has been marked by several diplomatic issues that bore significances for policy makers. The emergence of China as an emerging power alongside the U.S emergence as the world’s superpower has played a significant role in establishing the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. The American policy towards China has always been guided by a clear and firm sense of the U.S national interests regardless of whatever takes place in China. This research paper aims at developing an understanding of the formulation of the American policy towards China from both nationalist and communist views. The above understanding is facilitated by discussing the values and limitations of diplomatic documents. The Value of Diplomatic Documents (U.S Foreign Relations) The major goal of U.Ss foreign policy is establishing and sustaining a democratic, secure and prosperous world for the convenience of the American people and the international community. The U.S foreign policy is attained through nuclear technology and hardware control, protection of American business abroad, international commodity agreement, international education and safeguarding U.S citizens abroad alongside expatriation1. One of the primary values of the diplomatic documents is human rights observance for the American citizens as well as the entire world community. One of the major controversial issues between the two nations is the observance of human rights and democracy. Congressional research service report Congressional pointed out to several human rights issues in the People’s Republic of China. The relative human rights abuses reported are in different forms as below. Excessive utilization of force by public security apparatus, unlawful detention, subjecting detainees to torture and coercive family planning practices by the Government among others. Other forms of human right abuses are in the form of religious discrimination especially on Uighur Muslims. There are also reported cases of labor issues between workers, employers and the Government. The U.S Government has played an active part in promoting democracy and human through the development of various tools whose aims are the promotion of democracy and human rights in China. These include imposing sanctions, open criticism of China’s human rights policies, diplomacy, and bilateral dialogue among others. Key policies adopted by the U.S government include funding of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law and internet freedom programs2. The other significant value of diplomatic documents is economic growth. Concerning the U.S foreign policy towards China, diplomatic documents are significant in the conclusion of agreements. Diplomatic documents have been used to seal economic agreements such as trade and to credit each other. The U.S foreign relations policy concerning America’s policy towards China has been identified as the key to economic growth. It has been observed that the cities of Beijing and Washington are hardly in mutual agreement except on the maintenance of an open global economy, maintenance of peace and handling climate change. Furthermore, trade and economic disputes between China and the U.S are publicly resolved through sarcastic dual negotiations. It is evident from the example used in that diplomatic documents aid in the process of conflict arbitration. In the event whereby any state goes contrary to the expected code of conduct, a diplomatic document is issued, or reference is drawn to an earlier document in the arbitration process. On the other hand, diplomatic documents facilitate a balance of interest approach between two national states. An international agreement between two states is divided into substantive points through attributing paternity to the various clauses of the treaty. Paternity is usually correspondent to a particular Government’s interest. Thus, each clause is tagged to whose interest it best serves concerning the two states3. Diplomatic documents also play a significant role in the allocation of foreign aid to China. In the pursuit of its interest, the U.S government through its foreign policy decides the foreign aid amounts to allocate in obtaining its interests in China. The different causes funded by the U.S government include democracy, human rights reforms and legislation and other civil issues such as employer to employee relations. Furthermore, the U.S government has aided China in the pursuit of democracy and equality through advocating for law and civil society programs. The other significant value of diplomatic documents is the pursuit of international communities’ interests. Concerning China, the U.S foreign policy advocates for countering terrorism through export control concerning nuclear material and technology. Terrorism is considered a serious security threat to the international community. The potential death magnitude alongside its effects from nuclear technology is catastrophic to the living population. Other commonly addressed contemporary issues such as human rights, and democracy is global issues that are constant in the international bodies’ agenda. U.Ss foreign policy is administered in synchronization with the international agreement on commodity exchange that entails fair and accountable business practices between different states4. Diplomatic documents also act as historical sources of information about the past generations since they can be used as references in historical studies. Through an analysis of previous diplomatic documents, scholars can gain an understanding of the international relationship that existed in the previous years. Previous diplomatic documents between the U.S and China have aided in understanding the international relationship that existed in the previous years. Relationships between China and U.S.A through diplomatic documents in years as early as the 18th century have helped in shaping the present international relationship between China and the United States. The diplomatic documents between the two states indicate the presence of the slave trade, commercial trade, and superiority wars. These affect the manner in which the U.S government formulates its foreign policy towards China. The presence of aristocratic governments indicates high chances of human rights abuse and lack of democracy from the past. The historical nature of diplomatic documents is also significant in forecasting the outcome of future diplomatic documents5. Diplomatic documents are used to exhibit the cultural diversities existing between different countries in the form of language used and the different values placed on different factors. In the U.S, for example, importance has been greatly placed on the different forms of human life and general freedoms. On the contrary, the culture associated with the Chinese has placed importance on social morality and religion. The U.S government thus formulates its foreign policy towards China with the human rights and the relative human freedoms taking a centre stage. The U.S culture is based on fair and equal treatment of all people irrespective of any differences in terms of race, religion, ethnicity among others. From a communist perspective and nationalist perspective, the U.S believes in treating all right for higher productivity and convenience of all and effective national development6. Limitations of Diplomatic Documents Although diplomatic documents have played significant roles concerning international relations between the U.S and China, diplomatic scholars have associated them with several limitations. These limitations have played an active role in undermining the efficiency of diplomatic documents in promoting good diplomatic relations. One of the limitations of diplomatic documents concerning the U.S foreign relations policy with China is biases in lack of non-objectivity but rather vested interest. Sanctions by the U.S and specifically economic ones are used to show the international community the different values a nation supports. The subjective treatment of China with reference to other nations upon failing to observe human rights makes it rather non-objective. Previous research states that the U.S imposed economic sanctions through refusal to trade with Hitler, Pol Pot, and Napoleon Bonaparte among others. With reference to the above, the United States has been observed to give excuses for its continued trade with China despite going against the U.S foreign relations policy. The continued trade with China lowers the respect and credibility for the international order since it is a moral obligation for U.S policy makers7. The other primary limitation of the diplomatic documents is a lack of transparency in decision-making regarding foreign policies. The U.S foreign policy with China promotes basic human rights and is against forced labor. Expectations of the international community on the U.S Government are in the U.S taking a moral stand against forced labor. This is because the majority of China’s exports are produced by forced labor. This forced labor is in the form of prisoners sentenced to labor camps without fair trial as a result of political offenses. The forced labor amounts to slavery since prisoners are subjected to unpaid labor in prison industries and assembly lines. Purchase of these products by the U.S market that are in the form of electronics and toys is viewed as a direct endorsement of the enslavement practices8. One of the primary aspects of the U.S foreign policy with China is countering terrorism in China. China through acknowledging the diplomatic documents related to terrorism has responded by engaging in inhuman treatment of its population. These inhuman treatments are in the form of detention without trial, violence, segregation based on both religion and ethnic lines. Since the U.S was the one responsible for propagating the anti-terrorism policy, it is thus unable to step in arbitrate against unfair treatment of the various groups of people. Research carried by diplomatic scholars has also established that the U.S diplomatic documents are biased since they tend to promote the interests of the U.S Government while turning a blind eye to the interests of China. There have been several reports about the U.S trying to undermine China in the past years making China retaliate in the worst forms possible and at times lead to confrontations. The U.S foreign policy is aimed at maintaining a convenient world for all through conservation activities such as preservation of endangered animal species. On the other hand, the U.S is ready to purchase products from China manufactured from the endangered animal species at a higher price. This is seen as a contradiction of its values since the purchase of products from endangered animals is seen as promoting the poaching activities around the world9. In the event of any form of political friction between any two states, the states are more likely to fail in honoring the respective obligations stated in the diplomatic documents. The clash between China and the U.S in 2003 led to the death of the IT trade agreement. Previously both parties had negotiated on the impact of expanding WTO information technology agreement but a conflict in the demands led to a collapse of the trade agreement. Concerning the 2013 ITA agreement, the collapse of the agreement was as a result of political friction between the two states. On the other hand, the lack of penalties as a result of failure to stick to the earlier laid down agreement leads to frequent non-fulfillment of treaties. Furthermore, there are many more cases of failure to adhere to the trade pacts between the two states and violation of trade agreements through several legal suits. These are in the forms of wind power equipment, automobile parts and shrimp among others10. Diplomatic documents have also further been used as strategic tools instead of its original work of fostering good international relationships between China and the United States. In the build up to the Cold War in 1942, President Harry Truman of the U.S tried to broker a peace treaty with China but failed. The pain of failing to broker the deal was insignificant since they considered China an area of secondary interest in the cold war. Furthermore, the U.S had provided very little support in terms of financial and material that played an active part in intensifying American hatred among the communists. Finally, the diplomatic documents played an active role in fostering different wars between different nations. When the former Soviet Union learned of Germany’s support treaty with the U.S, they also ensured they attained a similar one with China. On the other hand, General Chiang’s regime of Taiwan won elections in 1950 and by mid-1950 feared losing elections through association with Americans, as well as hatred of communists. Furthermore, the U.S prevented the People’s Republic from obtaining China’s seat in the United Nations as a result of earlier on diplomatic documents between China and the U.S11. Conclusion As a result of increased globalization, the relationship between China and the U.S has been a roller coaster with both parties going hot and cold on each other. Although both parties have different interests, diplomatic documents have come as very vital tools in spearheading the quest to achieve their interests. The interests of the United States are an integration of both social and economic reforms and act as a representation of the values of the different countries. Contrary to the achievement of their national interests, diplomatic documents have been linked to several limitations as tools of fostering diplomatic relationships. Contemporary issues increasing the limitations of diplomatic documents include contemporary issues such as human rights situations in China, the rise of China as an economic powerhouse and Asian superpower among others. Work Cited Clyde, Paul Hibbert, ed. United States policy toward China: diplomatic and public documents, 1839-1939. New York, Russell, 1940. Gries, Peter Hays. Chinas new nationalism: Pride, politics, and diplomacy. Univ of California Press, 2004. Layne, Christopher. "Chinas challenge to US hegemony." Current History-New York Then Philadelphia- 107.705 (2008): 13. Mann, Jim. About face: A history of Americas curious relationship with China, from Nixon to Clinton. Knopf, 1999. Ochsenwald, William L. "The Vilayet of Syria, 1901-1914: A Re-Examination of Diplomatic Documents as Sources." The Middle East Journal (1968): 73-87. Ross, Robert S., and Changbin Jiang, eds. Re-examining the cold war: US-China diplomacy, 1954-1973. Vol. 203. Harvard Univ Asia Center, 2001. Schweizer, Karl, and Jeremy Black. "The Value of Diplomatic History: A Case Study in the Historical Thought of Herbert Butterfield." Diplomacy and Statecraft 17.3 (2006): 617-631. Tucker, Nancy Bernkopf. "China and America: 1941-1991." Foreign Aff. 70 (1990): 75. Weidong, Guo. "The “Diplomatic Note” and the Initial Format of Modern Diplomatic Documents in China." Historical Research 3 (2000): 007. Read More