NOT a great deal appears to have come out of the meeting in Seattle between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his American counterpart Bill Clinton. But, then again, not much was really expected. The talks were designed on both sides as a marker - a way of saying that the problems of the past can be set aside - as this century's greatest power and the next century's superpower seek to establish grounds for a working relationship.
Washington has yet to forgive Beijing for the 1989 suppression of the democracy movement and Mr Clinton made it clear he intends to keep up pressure on China to improve its human rights record. Equally, Mr Jiang was adamant that China would entertain no American interference in its internal affairs.
In the end there are bound to be compromises on both sides and the two nations, starting from Seattle, will work on building a new relationship. Mr Jiang's invitation to Mr Clinton to visit China - and his vague acceptance - was evidence of the wish on both sides to maintain high-level contacts. However, a visit by Mr Clinton to China is still some way off as long as there are outstanding differences to resolve and China's Most Favoured Nation trade status to decide.
Despite Mr Clinton's urgings on human rights, Mr Jiang offered no concessions. However, Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen later left the door to compromise open by suggesting relatives of dissidents living abroad could leave the country and ailing dissidents could be paroled on medical grounds - factors which could prove crucial in the US decision to renew MFN.
For its part, China did not get what it wanted from the meeting - the lifting of US trade sanctions imposed in August on technology transfer in retaliation for the sale of M-11 missile parts and technology to Pakistan.
The Chinese of course, have their own cards to play - the powerful American business lobby wants to sell more to the Chinese and are pressing the Clinton administration to adopt a more accommodating approach in ending China's isolation from the international community and recognising it as a major global power.