Conservative Principles Now

Tenzin Dorjee, Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet, recently sat down with Heritage’s Dr. Lee Edwards, Distinguished Fellow in Conservative Thought, to offer insight on the ethnic and religious tensions plaguing China.

From Xinjiang to Tibet, tensions continue to cloud the Chinese government’s vision of a harmonious and stable society. Many see the CCP’s policies toward religious freedom and ethnic diversity as more divisive than harmonizing. The Chinese government, on the other hand, blames external agitators in the West for the social unrest in China. The lack of progress toward resolving these tensions raises the question for all sides: Is it time for a new paradigm?

Upon the 60th Anniversary of the PRC, the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Washington, DC, and coinciding with the opening of the Fifth Interethnic/Interfaith Leadership Conference, The Heritage Foundation presented a unique forum of intellectuals from Mainland China and representatives from the rainbow of ethnic and religious groups that comprise contemporary China who gave a “frontline” perspective on this question.

When Director of the USC for Center Public Diplomacy, Philip Seib told Professor Nicholas Cull that the anthology, Toward a New Public Diplomacy (released September 14, 2009) was going to be written, Cull was pessimistic regarding the book’s potential impact on the Obama administration’s public diplomacy initiative. On September 14, 2009, during a panel discussion at Washington, DC’s Newseum, Cull revealed his expectation that the Obama administration would already have its foreign policy strategy crafted ten months into the presidency was realistic. As it happens, he was wrong. It is fortunate timing for Seib, the editor, and the book’s authors that the Obama administration’s foreign policy and consequent public diplomacy strategy are undeveloped.

The collection of essays included in Toward a New Diplomacy, analyze America’s outreach efforts in Africa, promotion of religious freedom, privatization of public diplomacy versus initiatives headed by the Department of State, etc. Furthermore, it is intended to be used as an instruction manual from leading experts in the field, providing recommendations to the new administration.

Despite the plethora of reports vying for executive acceptance, it would be an understatement to say that the administration has been slow in formulating a strategic plan for remedying America’s neglected state of diplomatic outreach. For example, the late nomination and subsequent Senate confirmation of Judith McHale, Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs raises many questions over Obama’s dedication to public diplomacy. Considering Obama vigorously campaigned for robust public diplomacy, it is surprising that he has not delivered on his adamant campaign.

Furthermore, Obama’s eloquent speeches, (expertly read from a teleprompter,) are no replacement for strategic policy. Until the president takes the initiative to implement actions that follow up on his eloquent promises,” the United States will continue to find itself disadvantaged by a credibility gap in the international community.