While politicians should be distrusted as a matter of principle, they need no help in looking bad. China sucks badly on human rights but also is a positive force in the region (upsetting the Tibetian theocracy for example). This is the normal course of things – every country has pluses and minuses. And the only way to shift that is to hold up the dirty laundry for all to see. Even a religious person can get that right from time to time. Works everywhere except for Thailand, North Korea, and any place run by megalomaniacs.