China is not known for its commitment to human rights. While the Chinese people remain much freer than during Mao Zedong's rule, President Xi Jinping has been cracking down on dissent inside and outside of the Communist Party. For good reason people of good will in America wish to encourage Beijing to better respect its citizens' civil and political liberties.

Unfortunately, gratuitously antagonizing the People's Republic of China isn't likely to help the Chinese people. Rather, doing so almost certainly will make Beijing less willing to make concessions to the U.S.