Agreement a big deal

CHINA'S muted response last week to Chris Patten's policy address may have lulled British negotiators into a false sense of calm. If so, yesterday's remarks by Vice-Foreign Minister Jiang Enzhu will remind them that China still plays the talks game very toughly.

China's chief negotiator came out fighting at the start of the 13th round of talks on the arrangements for Hong Kong's 1994 and 1995 elections. He accused the Governor of creating new obstacles in the talks, attacked a journalist for suggesting Mr Patten's proposals had widespread support from Hong Kong people and warned bluntly that if the territory went ahead with the reforms without agreement from China, those elected in 1994 and 1995 would not be able to serve beyond June 30, 1997. There would be no through-train.

There are a number of possible explanations for Mr Jiang's uncharacteristic public hostility. One is that China has decided to get even tougher now that Mr Patten has hinted at a deadline for the end of the talks, ''weeks, rather than months'' away. Rather than being forced into a corner, China is preparing to dig in its heels and push Britain into further concessions.

Diplomats negotiating with the Chinese are well advised not to set deadlines. Otherwise they may be forced to make unilateral concessions to beat their own clock. That is why Mr Patten has avoided setting a clear deadline. But his latest statement seems to narrow his room for manoeuvre.

Mr Patten and the British negotiating team must hope, however, that the tough talk is a prelude to getting down to serious business. China so far has been able to sit back and let Britain water down its own proposals while giving nothing in return.

Now, with the first believable talk of breakdown in the air, China may judge that it should put up a proposal to end the stalemate. That is how they have conducted negotiations in the past.