The EU Is Still Smarter

In the latest round of Chinese-EU negotiations over lifting the decade-long arms embargo, Brussels is now demanding that China make a major concession on human rights before the EU will let them buy new weaponry.

The EU's schedule has also been thrown into doubt by severe critical reaction from the United States, which fears that European arms sales to China could shift the strategic balance in the region and which has also repeatedly expressed concerns about human rights in China.

[...]

...the EU argues: "The EU's clear objective is not to sell to China any items and technologies which would help China to acquire a capability it does not already possess and which may have destabilizing effect in the region. The EU does not intend to change the strategic balance in the region, especially in the Taiwan Strait."

It also urges China to "make further clear and tangible steps" in human rights.

No word on what those "clear and tangible steps" would be, but notice the contrast between American "diplomacy" which amounts to screaming about the looming yellow peril, and the EU's more moderate carrot-and-stick approach. Which one do you think is destined for long-term success?