Dear Mr. Calmes,

China is a huge country which will be a huge business competitor and potential adversary for decades to come. A key aspect of our relationship is to continue fostering a business relationship while keeping up the political pressure to respect human rights and encourage opening up their government to more democratic reforms. This will be a delicate balance.

China has a growing middle class and has demonstrated a committed expansion of opportunity. Intellectual property rights violations are still an issue and we cannot lessen our pressure on respect for the law. Recent stories about adulterated or defective products betray growing pains in keeping track of quality.

While the per capita gdp of China is a fraction of ours, they are building the equivalent of a power plant every day and will become one of the world's greatest consumers of energy, along with many other resources. As their people seek a greater standard of living, these pressures will hopefully cause the government to be more moderate in foreign policy, particularly if the West can stay united in the proposition that such openness is a predicate to trading in the world community.

The bottom line: increased trade, steady political pressure and wary expansion of our relationship with an unceasing emphasis on human rights and expansion of democratic and religious freedoms.

Sincerely Yours,

John Cox