One of the least attractive rituals of spring -- skirmishing between Beijing and Washington over Chinese human-rights practices -- is already under way. The first volley was fired last month with the publication of the U.S. State Department's annual human-rights report. It took Beijing to task for a deterioration in civil rights last year, prompting denials and countercharges by the government in China.

China should be called to account for its behavior, but this particular ritual is not the best way to get results. Aggressive U.S. efforts to protect human rights worldwide may be well-intended, but they are unlikely to work; a multilateral program is better. Just as important, a change in emphasis is needed. Holding China up to Western standards has little impact in that country; holding the government in Beijing up to its own standards is the way to proceed.

In its annual survey of human rights around the world, the State Department charged that "the Chinese government's poor human-rights record has worsened, and it continued to commit numerous serious abuses." The concerted effort to crush the Falun Gong group, whose stubborn defiance of Beijing has prompted even harsher repression, was singled out, as was China's ongoing campaign to stamp out nationalism in Tibet.