ABSTRACT
The universalist perspective is identified with Western countries, especially the United States, and the cultural relativist perspective with developing countries, including China. To universal rights theorists, although Western culture was first to identify and explicate concepts of human rights, there is no guarantee that Western states will apply such concepts consistently. Only if Chinese human rights policy was inconsistent with Chinese culture and American policy on most favored nation (MFN) trade status inconsistent with American culture would there be a moral problem. More specifically, China's 1982 constitution, like its predecessors, includes provisions on equality, freedom of speech, press, and assembly. China is also a party to international treaties on torture and protection of women. Whether outsiders should be involved in trying to affect human rights in other states and, if so, the best way to go about this are significant issues in the debate on MFN trade status for China.
