Instead of going through the arguments again I point you to Chris Blattman's Blog that has the appropriate links. I believe the economists have got it about right here - it is crucial to identify the order of causation.
I believe that this will become an increasingly important topic for empirical researchers and something I will be looking at in the near future data permitting.
Do trade and aid from China increase human rights abuses?
Yesterday, the New York Times lamented the worsening war in Sri Lanka, the rise in human rights abuses, and the emasculation of rights observers. "Gone are the Nordic monitors," it writes, "independent journalists are not allowed anywhere near the front lines."
Today, the blame is apportioned. "Take Aid From China and Take a Pass on Human Rights" proclaims the newspaper. The argument: unconditional aid and trade from China insulates regimes from Western mores and threats of sanctions in a dirty war.
China fear-mongering? Taking the story beyond the evidence? Maybe not.
The Times misses a paper posted last week by economists Erik Meyersson, Nancy Qian, and Gerard Padró-i-Miquel, but it gets the story right. Here newspaper anecdotes get support from some powerful statistics: trade with China predicts human rights abuses. At least in Africa.
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