I have mixed feelings about this law. I don’t think America should make laws regarding other countries, but Zi understand why the people of Hong Kong interest Americans. I wish there were other ways to influence governments behind the scene. This causes China to lose face and that’s never a good way to influence people. It can make them cling more stubbornly yo their course of action even if they were about to change directions, now they can’t change without appearing weak. It’s a difficult situation but diplomacy sometimes calls for no direct support of general ideas about human rights and sovereignty combined with private talks chastising a government for bad behavior to give them the chance to change their behavior and still appear strong. The West seems to still know little about conducting respectful diplomacy in the newspapers and honest diplomacy in private. Things could be so different and they could be so much more effective by choosing not to embarrass or bully other governments. And effectiveness should be the bottom line.

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