Opionionjournal.com has an excellent commentary on President Bush and China, pointing out the delicate—yet—doable task ahead: conatining China's ambition for regional dominance while encouraging a loosening—up of the semi—Stalinist political system.

Now that China's coastal populace has become acustomed to market—driven prosperity, the UJnited States holds a strong lever in its control of market access for China's manufactured goods exports. But it would be a painful lever to pull, a fact that China's leaders well understand.

We are fortunate that China is surrounded by a series of nations committed to market economies, and on the path to or already having achieved reasonably democratic political systems. And President Bush has displayed rather masterful diplomatic skills with these countries, a fact for which he gets too little credit.

China will be a continuing challenge to America (and vice versa). But with skill, we can manage this very important rising force and forge mutually beneficial relations well into the future.

Thomas Lifson  11 19 05