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Lu Shaye, China’s ham-handed ambassador to Canada since early March, has told the federal government to stop “bowing down to Canadian journalists,” to ignore their probing inquiries into China’s human rights issues and to get down to the business of negotiating a free trade agreement between the two countries.

The Canadian government wants respect for human rights in China to be included in any free trade agreement and China objects. Lu states that the people and media of Canada are “confused” about human rights and democracy in China and blames them, rather than his government, for Canadians’ largely negative view of China.

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Such irresponsible and intemperate comments are, of course, the very negation of cultural finesse, the gentle art of persuasion and diplomatic tact. Lu seems to assume that since he and his government and party cannot even imagine taking human rights concerns seriously, no one else really does either and, instead, are using it as a means to thwart China’s international ascendance.