The Straight Talk Orient Express

In August, a Chinese diplomat politely offered his opinion that the U.S. government should "shut up and keep quiet" about increases in about Chinese defense spending. Now, according to McClatchy's China correspondant Tim Johnson, that same guy is being rewarded for his subtle use of appropriate diplomatic channels:

The “un-diplomatic” diplomat, Sha Zukang, just won a plum assignment near the top of the United Nations hierarchy. He’ll be undersecretary of economic and social affairs, a post just under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon....

Sha threw diplomatic language to the winds last August when he told the BBC that the Bush administration has no place criticizing increases in Chinese military spending. . . . His statements raised hackles in Washington, but heartened Chinese who have grown weary of U.S. criticism of the nation’s rise.

As the Worldwide Standard's Michael Goldfarb notes: "Sha has blazed a trail for all those young internationalists aspiring to a career in world government. You want to get ahead? Just tell the United States to go f%&# itself."

Comments

joe | February 12, 2007, 5:33pm | #

Does he have a large mustache?

wingnutx | February 12, 2007, 5:47pm | #

Sounds like Nobel material.

Antarctic Penguin | February 12, 2007, 5:52pm | #

"Sounds like Nobel material."

All he has to do now is criticize Israel when it tries to defend itself.

crimethink | February 12, 2007, 5:54pm | #

I wonder what the Bush Admin's reaction would be if China criticized our increased non-defense spending.

Seamus | February 12, 2007, 6:47pm | #

I wonder what the Bush Admin's reaction would be if China criticized our increased non-defense spending.

Or our defense spending.

R C Dean | February 12, 2007, 7:01pm | #

Probably about the same, although we wouldn't (a) do it in public or (b) get rewarded by the UN kleptocracy.

Aresen | February 12, 2007, 8:23pm | #

?

Excuse me, but I don't see why anyone should get bent out of shape because the Chinese tell the US to MYOB.

Jobriath | February 12, 2007, 8:56pm | #

I say we add them to the axis of evil. The millions of oppressed peasants and fu shueng practitioners will greet us as liberators.

Max | February 12, 2007, 10:07pm | #

The U.S. is in no position to give lectures on military spending, that's for sure.

Eddy | February 12, 2007, 10:17pm | #

Hey United States government, go f%&# yourself. Can I get a promotion now? Oh... excuse me.

Who is it?
DHS who?
Hey, whaharummmphhh!!

Warren | February 13, 2007, 12:04am | #

Anyone can tell the US to go fuck itself. The trick is to actually get it to fuck off.