Even Gitmo affects U.S.-China ties

While all Guantanamo detainees have to be released or transferred by January 2010, there is a different deadline where the Uighurs are concerned.

That is because the Uighurs have instituted a court case. Last October, a U.S. district court judge ruled that they should be released in the United States. That ruling was overturned by an appeals court. However, the Uighurs' lawyers want to take their case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The court is scheduled to consider the matter on June 25. Apparently, the Obama administration does not want to take a chance on what the court might decide and wants to see to it that the matter is resolved before that date.

Meanwhile, China continues to demand that the Uighurs, whom it calls “suspected terrorists,” be sent home. Beijing also put pressure on other countries not to take them.

Last Wednesday, Washington suddenly announced that four Uighurs had been resettled in Bermuda. However, Bermuda is a British territory and the decision was made without London's knowledge. Whether Britain will allow them to remain is not clear.

At the same time, Washington prevailed on the Pacific island nation of Palau, a former U.S. trust territory, to take the remaining 13 Uighurs. Palau, which recognizes Taiwan, does not have diplomatic relations with Beijing and so is less vulnerable to Chinese pressure.

There, for the moment, matters rest. It is unclear what the Uighurs, whose homeland is largely desert and mountains, will do on Palau, a tropical island known for its beautiful beaches and for snorkeling.

But, at least, they will no longer be a live issue between the United States and China - that is, not until something else happens. And, while China insists on its principles of sovereignty and national integrity, it is pragmatic enough to let sleeping dogs lie.

However, other issues will undoubtedly continue to pop up and bedevil the American-Chinese relationship, even issues that on the surface look like they have nothing to do with China. That is because relations between the two countries now cover almost every conceivable aspect of life, not just politics and economics.

Frank.ching@gmail.com

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