--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [They let] friendship with the leaders in…" description: "\"[They let] friendship with the leaders in China obscure our devotion to freedom and democracy when those kids set up in Tiananmen Square, and I think i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/william-j-clinton-302_china_they-let-friendship-with-the-leaders-in_1871051.jpg" --- # \[They let\] friendship with the leaders in China obscure… ![“[They let] friendship with the leaders in China obscure our devotion to freedom and democracy when those kids set up in Tiananmen Square, and I think it was wrong.” quote by William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/william-j-clinton-302_china_they-let-friendship-with-the-leaders-in_1871051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/william-j-clinton-302_china_they-let-friendship-with-the-leaders-in_1871051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/william-j-clinton-302_china_they-let-friendship-with-the-leaders-in_1871051.jpg) > “\[They let\] friendship with the leaders in China obscure our devotion to freedom and democracy when those kids set up in Tiananmen Square, and I think it was wrong.” [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing relationships with authoritarian leaders can compromise commitment to democratic values and human rights. **In simple terms:** Friendship with dictators may betray democracy. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate political alliances. Themes politics ethics human rights foreign policy Mood critical thoughtful Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy analysis - activism - journalism - education Key Concepts democratic integrity realpolitik Questions to Reflect On - Should alliances ever overlook human rights? - How can democracy be defended without alienating partners? A Different Perspective Balancing strategic interests with moral principles is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom And Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-and-democracy/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Humorous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorous/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tiananmen square](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiananmen-square/) ## Related quotes > [Safeguarding the interests of our Taiwan compatriots and expanding their well-being is the mainland's oft-repeated pledge and solemn promise of the new leaders of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/safeguarding-the-interests-of-our-taiwan-compatriots-and-expanding/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [I am confident that in the end freedom and democracy will prevail over terror and tyranny. 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Put America to sleep with warm milk and clichés, And people are expendable along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/freedom-and-democracy-that-s-the-word-from-washington-every-day-put/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [For the world to follow, we must do more than rattle our sabers and demand allegienace to our vision simply because we believe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/for-the-world-to-follow-we-must-do-more-than-rattle-our-sabers-and/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Ultimately, freedom and democracy are stronger than fear and tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/ultimately-freedom-and-democracy-are-stronger-than-fear-and-tyranny/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [We are inclined to confuse freedom and democracy, which we regard as moral principles, with the way in which they are practiced in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/we-are-inclined-to-confuse-freedom-and-democracy-which-we-regard-as/) [J. 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Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Freedom and democracy are nothing but instruments, just like stability. The goal is called progress and growth. Anyone who puts freedom ahead of stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/freedom-and-democracy-are-nothing-but-instruments-just-like-stability/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [“Don't Dare take your college as a matter of course- because like freedom and democracy, many people you'll never know anything about have broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-duer-miller-bc-1889/don-t-dare-take-your-college-as-a-matter-of-course-because-like/) Alice Duer Miller BC 1889 ## More by William J. Clinton > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. 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Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [You know, I've always been really interested in this stuff, and I'm going to read this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-know-i-ve-always-been-really-interested-in-this-stuff-and-i-m/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-believe-in-making-change-from-the-bottom-up-if-you-believe-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [ We \[Democrats\] have got to be strong. When we look weak in a time where people feel insecure, we lose. when people feel uncertain,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-democrats-have-got-to-be-strong-when-we-look-weak-in-a-time-where/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [It's the economy, stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/it-s-the-economy-stupid/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The Republicans could mess up a two car parade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-republicans-could-mess-up-a-two-car-parade/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [We're all in this together is a far better philosophy than you're on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-re-all-in-this-together-is-a-far-better-philosophy-than-you-re-on/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) [Explore all 712 William J. Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## More China quotes > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. 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What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/) [Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/) [Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. 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Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[They let] friendship with the leaders in China obscure our devotion to freedom and democracy when those kids set up in Tiananmen Square, and I think it was wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William J. 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