Everyone should regret the loss of human life – whether it’s by accident, capital punishment, famine or through war. Yet the protestations of the British over the killing of a British National are somewhat hypocritical.

Firstly, the person involved was caught in China and understandably, is subject to Chinese law. Yes, it differs from English law but then, so do the legal systems of most nations. These differences do not however, invalidate Chinese law or their right to apply it within their own territory. The victim should have known what he was facing in allegedly carrying the drugs. He seems to have been smart enough to have gotten into the country with the drugs so was presumably smart enough to understand the consequences of his actions.

Secondly, the British argue that he was mentally unsound and should be given leniency. The previous argument again stands: he seems to have been well enough to have gotten into the country with the drugs so was presumably well enough to understand the consequences of his actions. Mental unsoundness certainly affects some behaviour – however it is not a condition that invalidates all behaviour.

Thirdly, the British have for centuries been sending people to their death for stupid, political or sectarian reasons – occasionally their own citizens but more commonly colonial "fodder". How many good men died as cannon fodder in recent wars as a result of the arrogant, stupid and merciless attitude of the British aristocracy? The most recent travesty has been the Iraq war. Is Tony Blair’s crime of sending his troops into Iraq when he knowingly knew the argument for doing so was based on misinformation, any less heinous than that of the drug runner? Tony Blair’s actions led to the ultimate death of hundreds of thousand of people – most innocent bystanders.

The British bleat when it serves them but are curiously silent when it doesn’t. How many protestations did the British mount over the merciless murder by Iraqi and Iranian governments of Jews on trumped up spying charges? How many protestations were mounted when Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israeli territory? How many protestations were mounted by the British over Darfur, Eritrea, Kosovo, Bosnia?

I suspect that the Chinese see the British for what they really are: a faded empire comprised of arrogant aristocrats and landed gentry who disdain anyone that is not like them. The Chinese may not be like Westerners, but they understand the pragmatics of life and are much more honest and understandable than the self-serving British.