Deference in China

President Obama's visit to China was devoid of the star power and soaring rhetoric that on his earlier overseas ventures captivated Europeans and the Arab world.

The Chinese did their best to limit Obama's opportunities to speak directly to their people. A forum in Shanghai was carefully stage-managed and Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao held a news conference in Beijing that brooked no questions.

Although the Obama administration was said to have acceded to the restrictions, White House aides insisted that the president privately engaged in frank dialogue with Hu -- on economics, China's currency and human rights policies and possible sanctions against Iran.

Obama's deferential tack drew scorn from conservatives -- they and others also complained about his bowing to the Japanese prime minister -- who yearn for a return to the international swagger of George W. Bush.

The Chinese have always been luxuriated in their legacy as an ancient civilization and are sensitive to perceived slights from foreigners. Moreover, the leadership that Bush and President Bill Clinton encountered was more self-assured than Hu.

But the Chinese also sense their star rising in the international galaxy, a shift magnified by the severe economic downturn and the near-collapse of the international financial system last year. Their cheap exports, enhanced by a devalued currency, helped satisfy the cravings of American consumers and their investment in U.S. securities finance Washington's deficit spending. While the United States and the West struggle to return to prosperity, China has rebounded, thanks to huge public works projects.

Although Obama could have been more assertive with his Chinese hosts, he chose to speak softly in public, hoping that discretion will nurture a partner more amenable to Washington's priorities.