A sigh of relief

The arrival of Chen Guangcheng, a blind Chinese activist, in New York on May 19th marked a quiet resolution to a thorny problem for American diplomacy with China over human rights. It also suggested that, in spite of political tension at the highest levels of the Communist Party, Chinese leaders remain united enough to handle a crucial relationship pragmatically. But compromising with the superpower involves a balancing act at home.

Chinese diplomats say privately that pressure from nationalist sentiment among Chinese citizens has become a growing complication in their dealings with the West. Negotiations between Chinese and American officials over how to deal with Mr Chen involved painstaking efforts by both sides to avoid provoking China's nationalists, who criticise any perceived weakness in the Chinese government, and whose ire (officials supposed) might have scuppered a deal.