At the best of times, the US and China find it hard to keep their dialogue free of friction. But the apparent defection last week of Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese activist, poses a far bigger threat than usual to their annual bilateral talks.
Following a dramatic escape from house arrest, Mr Chen is believed to be at the US embassy in Beijing. Both Hillary Clinton and Timothy Geithner arrive in Beijing this week for the US-China strategic and economic dialogue. The stage is set for a train wreck. It is in everyone’s interests to avoid one.
That will be easier said than done. Even if it were not an election year in the US, it would be difficult – and wrong – for an American president to hand a dissident back to a regime that systematically quashes the right to dissent. China should recognise that politics makes it impossible for Barack Obama even to consider that option. Mitt Romney would seize upon any sign of weakness by Mr Obama on human rights – and rightly so.