Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic and/or diplomatic engagement with the People’s Republic of China



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1NC Human Rights Frontline

  1. China is making incredible progress on human rights



Contorno, 2014 [Steve, Writer for Politifact, University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in news-editorial journalism and a minor in political science, and holds a master's degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois-Springfield, “Does the world agree that China has made 'enormous progress' on human rights?” November 17, http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/nov/17/xi-jinping/chinese-president-world-agrees-china-had-made-enor/]
There is some good news. Experts and human rights advocates we spoke with say that improving economic conditions have indeed produced better living conditions for many Chinese citizens. As it is, when Chinese leaders claim progress in human rights, they are mostly referring to "human welfare," said Patrick Keenan, an expert in human rights and international law at the University of Illinois. "They're thinking about China's incredible economic growth and the ways that that economic growth has improved the lives of poor people in China," Keenan said. "China's growth hasn't helped everyone, of course, but it is true that poor people, on average, are better off than they were a generation ago." The reform era of the 1970s that opened China’s doors to a degree to the rest of the world resulted in a vast economic expansion, especially in the urban centers. Some social freedoms followed, such as the ability to move or take different jobs. However, such gains only accrued to certain sectors of the population. For example, according to Human Rights Watch, millions of farmers and herders who are Tibetan — an ethnic minority in China — have been subjected to a mass rehousing-and-relocation policy that forced them into socialist villages. And more generally, outside China’s rapidly growing cities, the economic gains have been less significant. There are two other notable areas of progress, each with limits. First, China has signed several international conventions and treaties pertaining to human rights. While there are clear examples of these agreements being ignored, the simple fact that China has agreed to them "is important because it creates an opportunity to make claims against the state," said Richardson of Human Rights Watch. All told, China has signed 10 of the 16 United Nations agreements pertaining to human rights. However, in most cases, China has attached a stated "reservation" that says they won’t abide by parts of the agreement that interfere with state laws. For example, while China agreed to an anti-torture convention, it added that it would not recognize a clause that allows the United Nations to investigate suspected torture, thus eliminating the enforcement mechanism. Second, Human Rights Watch notes some growth in civil society within China, such as new legal-aid services to victims of domestic violence, disabled children and other at-risk groups. These services often do not enjoy recognition from the state, though, and their leaders face imprisonment. Still, they represent seeds of change. "That degree of organization, participation and serving as a counter to the state is incredibly important," Richardson said.
  1. No moral obligation—human rights violations happen daily. Their own evidence says that thousands die from preventable diseases. We aren’t responsible for everything wrong in the world. We should try to stop the largest, most pressing impact instead.

  2. Existence before human rights. We need to be alive to protect human rights



Ochs, 2002 (Richard- MA in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University and Naturalist at Grand Teton National Park, “BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS MUST BE ABOLISHED IMMEDIATELY,” Jun 9, http://www.freefromterror.net/other_...s/abolish.html)
Against this tendency can be posed a rational alternative policy. To preclude possibilities of human extinction, "patriotism" needs to be redefined to make humanity’s survival primary and absolute. Even if we lose our cherished freedom, our sovereignty, our government or our Constitution, where there is life, there is hope. What good is anything else if humanity is extinguished? This concept should be promoted to the center of national debate. For example, for sake of argument, suppose the ancient Israelites developed defensive bioweapons of mass destruction when they were enslaved by Egypt. Then suppose these weapons were released by design or accident and wiped everybody out? As bad as slavery is, extinction is worse. Our generation, our century, our epoch needs to take the long view. We truly hold in our hands the precious gift of all future life. Empires may come and go, but who are the honored custodians of life on earth? Temporal politicians? Corporate competitors? Strategic brinksmen? Military gamers? Inflated egos dripping with testosterone? How can any sane person believe that national sovereignty is more important than survival of the species? Now that extinction is possible, our slogan should be "Where there is life, there is hope." No government, no economic system, no national pride, no religion, no political system can be placed above human survival. The egos of leaders must not blind us. The adrenaline and vengeance of a fight must not blind us. The game is over. If patriotism would extinguish humanity, then patriotism is the highest of all crimes.

2NC/1NR Human Rights #1—China Improving



They say China is awful on human rights, but

[GIVE :05 SUMMARY OF OPPONENT’S SINGLE ARGUMENT]



  1. Extend our Contorno evidence.

[PUT IN YOUR AUTHOR’S NAME]

It’s much better than their Williams evidence because: [PUT IN THEIR AUTHOR’S NAME]

[CIRCLE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS]:

(it’s newer) (the author is more qualified) (it has more facts)

(their evidence is not logical/contradicts itself) (history proves it to be true)

(their evidence has no facts) (Their author is biased) (it takes into account their argument)

(its predictive/talks about the future) (their evidence supports our argument)

[WRITE IN YOUR OWN!]


[EXPLAIN HOW YOUR OPTION IS TRUE BELOW]

While China still has a ways to go when it comes to human rights, they are making incredible strides. They will continue to open up and expand human rights agreements in the future.

[EXPLAIN WHY YOUR OPTION MATTERS BELOW]



This matters because: it seriously reduces their harms argument. China will protect human rights in the future and their impact is not nearly as bad.

  1. China will protect human rights in the future—Western judgement is hypocritical



Ruike, 2015 [Xu, a PhD at the School of Politics and IR, University of Nottingham, “Talking about China’s human rights”, October 28, http://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/chinapolicyinstitute/2015/10/28/talking-about-chinas-human-rights/]
It is a cliché to claim improvement of China’s human rights by referring to how many people have been lifted out of poverty. Economic progress does not necessarily improve the human rights situation. However, it is an indispensable precondition for improving human rights. Without satisfying basic needs, it is impossible for people to have a strong motivation to defend their human rights and to make efforts to improve the rights of others. In this regard, the Chinese government’s long-standing commitment to developing China’s economy has played an important part in creating favourable conditions for improving the human rights of the Chinese people. With the rapidly growing economy, Chinese society has become more dynamic and more tolerant. Chinese people, especially the younger generations, are increasingly vocal about defending their rights and also more enthusiastic in offering support to the disadvantaged groups in society. With the younger generations gaining more influence in society, China will most certainly improve its human rights in the future. It is disappointing to see most of British journalists and commentators fail to make a balanced judgement on China’s human rights. They are inclined to criticise the Chinese government’s wrongdoings without realizing how much the Chinese government has done to help improve human rights in China. From their perspective, a communist government like like that in China cannot improve human rights because only democracies purportedly cherish human rights. Therefore, they habitually exaggerate any scandals of human right violations in China and invariably criticise the Chinese government for such wrongdoings. Whether they realize it or not, their pride in their country’s superiority in advocating and protecting human rights leads to prejudice regarding China’s human rights situation. Improvement of human rights in any country is a long-term process. It takes time, patience and hard-work. No country has a perfect record of human rights. Britain today has a high standard in protecting human rights. However, the British government was recently accused of violating disabled people’s human rights because of its welfare reforms. British people are proud of their traditions of protecting human rights because of the Magna Carta heritage. But in the past, it was a human rights violator in the eyes of many countries.


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