In anticipation of Barack Obama's first visit to China last fall, the country's state-run news agency, Xinhua, collected questions from its readers for the U.S. President. Among them, were these gems:

"You've got a nice figure. Had you thought about shooting commercials or movies or something like that if you didn't win the election?"

"How much wine can you drink for once? Will you play the Truth or Dare game after drinking?"

"Could you encourage American kids not to eat hamburgers all day long?"

"Can I discuss with you China's purchasing Hawaii with U.S. dollars?"

"Will you encourage Americans to marry Chinese people?"

Once my giggles subsided, I stumbled upon a few that made me stop and think. One, in particular, resonates with the current fracas over the Dalai Lama's imminent visit to the United States: "How would it make you feel if China treated Osama Bin Laden like the U.S. treats the Dalai Lama?"

Chinese officials warned President Obama that if he met with the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan spiritual leader visits Washington D.C. this week, as every president has since 1991, it would threaten to dismantle whatever progress has been made in building a positive relationship between the two superpower nations.

Obama refuted the warning and agreed to meet with the 74-year-old Buddhist monk, though he did cancel a meeting in October, presumably to appease Chinese government leaders. Many human rights groups, who see the Dalai Lama as a champion of peace and China as an oppressive tyranny, were outraged by that earlier choice.

This is a tough one, isn't it? Obama's decision to stick to his principles and anger the Chinese government could be potentially causing a major setback in foreign relations. This could be bad for a great many people, including human rights groups. But if he pandered to the wishes of the Chinese, he would be sending a message that, sometimes, might does equal right. It's not a choice I'd want to make, to say the least.

[Image: Bangkok Post]