HU Jian, an expert from the Shanghai Co-operative Organization Studies Centre of the Academy of Social Sciences, said the fingerprinting action was an example of the US Government's persistence in its attitude of unilateralism in international relations.

"Collecting citizens' fingerprints should be carefully conducted under the judicial system of each nation," Hu said. "But now the US has arrogantly upgraded it as an international practice which has not been regulated by international laws before."

However, he said the US moves were understandable and were measures taken against terrorism.

"The 9/11 incident was the second attack on US soil in history after the Pearl Harbour attack in 1941, so the American Government thinks any measures to fight against terrorists cannot be irrational," he said.

Inspired by that viewpoint, the US has made a series of decisions regardless of the interests and opinions of other nations.

"It claims to be the most democratic country in the world, while it has become more and more autocratic globally," Hu said. The requirement that visitors be fingerprinted contradicts the US claim to having respect for human rights.

Meanwhile, Hu said, the Bush government has been playing the anti-terrorism card to gain support ahead of the presidential election in November and to conceal the government's inefficiency in improving the nation's economy.

Hu said Bush's goal was to fulfill America's "grand global strategy" - to help change the regimes of some so-called "evil" countries, for instance, Iraq and North Korea, and to maintain strength and control in special areas like the Middle East which are rich in crude oil.

"This strategy has been pursued by every US administration since the end of the Cold War," Hu said.

Brazil now requires fingerprints from US visitors as a response to the new US policy.

However, Hu said, China believes in a "peacefully rising" response and the Chinese Government would not be taking a similar tough stand.

"This is a period in which China should be more tolerant in dealing with international issues in order to remove possible obstacles to the country's programme of rapid development," Hu said.

(Star News)