door to international investment and trade. By the late 1990s,however, this direction was challenged by a host of troubles: anoverheated economy threatening inflation, redundant state-ownedenterprises, creeping corruption, and a gaping disparity betweencoastal and inland economies. The harder, more fundamental reformsneeded to solve these problems, were yet to be tackled. It wouldtake a very committed and strong-minded reformer to bring aboutthese often politically difficult changes. To usher China into anew age of international responsibility, it would take a leader whocould communicate especially adroitly and comfortably around theworld.