But perhaps the strongest inhibition on Soviet-Chinese collusion against U.S. interests is the not very friendly feeling with which the Chinese view their neighbor. Historical conflicts and direct threats to China in the 1960s are not forgotten in Beijing. China's slow and cautious pace in bilateral improvements is caused partly by fear of its capabilities. The U.S.S.R. is the only security threat to China and possesses a strong qualitative edge over the Chinese military weaponry. But the Chinese know that overall their economic reforms depend far more on smooth interaction with Western economies than with the Soviets, who have relatively little to offer.
Economic reforms have top priority in Beijing.
The drive to maximize them will be an additional and powerful factor that inhibits China from reorienting eastward, turning away from the United States and other Western trading partners. For free nations, the Sino-Soviet rapprochement is not a net plus. We should stop smiling bravely and pretending that our hand is stronger without the China card in it. This has to be worked out in the highest level. Soviet analysts continually stress the availability of Soviet raw materials in Siberia and the Far East region, there to be trade for sorely needed consumer goods from China.