Focus on the Family's James Dobson and his Washington-based Family Research Council, headed by former Reagan domestic policy advisor Gary Bauer, believe cutting off trade with China will send a political and economic message that will prompt China to end decades of persecuting Christians and others of faith. Other religious leaders, however, believe closing the door on China would be the worst thing we could do. They fear the human rights violations will increase once the door is shut and the spotlight of democracy is dimmed. China is rapidly becoming one of the dominant economic and political powers in the world, and I believe it is far better for us to keep China as a friend than to treat it as an adversary. The only practical way is to be a genuine friend.
China possesses nuclear weapons and intercontinental missile capability.
Isolating ourselves and hoping that China never becomes a superpower is like hiding under the covers and hoping the sun does not rise in the morning. China is a superpower and can either be made our friend or confronted as an enemy. Former NAE President Don Argue said we should follow the advice of the people actually dealing with the issue in China. But we did not feel that we should just proceed without checking with the people who are in ministry in China. While abuses continue in China, there is hope for the future.