PRESIDENT BUSH has had an impressive and successful trip to Europe and the Middle East. But the president’s June 1 meeting with President Hu Jintao of China, as described in an unnamed senior administration official’s “background” briefing, makes one wonder if the bureaucracy has seized control of China policy from a preoccupied president, vice president and national security adviser. (The entire briefing is available at the White House website). Here are the highlights: Human Rights. The president apparently did not devote much, if any, time to discussing China’s human rights abuses during the meeting with President Hu. In response to questions about Tibet, Falun Gong and human rights generally, the briefer mentioned only Tibet–and then only to say “the issue didn’t come up directly because we have been raising it with the Chinese already.”

Non-proliferation. President Bush apparently discussed Iran with President Hu without mentioning the sanctions the U.S. imposed in late May on NORINCO, a Chinese state-owned conglomerate that aided the Iranian government agency that develops and manufactures ballistic missiles. “There was no specific mention of the NORINCO sanctions. The president did bring up his concerns about Iran, stating very clearly that Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons presents a grave threat that China and the U.S. have to work together to address.” At which point a journalist asked “Was there any response from President Hu on that?” Answer: “Not much, really.”