West's name-calling only intensifies contradictions

Impatience to hear and eagerness to pass judgment are two things that ruin a dialogue. A case in point, unfortunately, is the disappointing image painted of China's human rights situation by 12 Western countries in Geneva last week.

In response to their joint allegation of China's "deteriorating" conditions, the Chinese government reminded the accusers to clean their own houses first, retorting that China is a sovereign "country of rule of law" whose internal affairs brook no interference from other powers.

A face-off like this forebodes a tough time ahead, and risks throwing the China-West dialogue on human rights back to its starting point.