It is troubling, nonetheless, that China declines to give the United States additional assurances about sales of medium-range missiles. Once again, the Chinese leadership is undermining the extraordinary confidence President Bush has placed it it since its crackdown on democracy demonstrators nearly a year ago. Many experienced observers of the Chinese scene have concluded that the old Communists currently in charge are yesterday's men. Foreign Minister Qian Qichen has thanked him for his efforts to restore normal relations, but in fact Mr. Bush is being trifled with. Much of the world is going the democratic way.
China continues in the opposite direction.
The army's budget is going up. The economy slows. As the anniversary of the Tiananmen events nears, the authorities are moving to avert new protests. The calendar is bringing difficult new tests of Chinese-American relations. But it is China's policy of the last year that has already impaired trade and caused a major retrogression in relations.