title: The China Diary of George H. W. Bush: The Making of a Global President
author:  Jeffrey A. Engel 
description: Former president George H. W. Bushs reputationsignificantly residesin his conduct of foreign affairs; this publication of a diary he dictated while de facto U.S. ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China in 197475 will be important to students of his career. It opens with Bushs candor about accepting the Beijing appointment: he wanted to get away from Watergate and to burnish his foreign policy credentials. Bringing a conviction that personal friendships matter in international relations, Bushs meet-and-greet campaign as recorded in his day-to-day impressions collided with the tendency of nations to act according to self-interest. So disenchanted did Bush apparently become with bonhomies failure to improve U.S.-China relations that he quit keeping his diary during his last four months in the post. Still, the journal covers some arch gossip about Henry Kissinger and congressional delegations andthe ripples felt in the Beijing diplomatic corps from the fall of Saigon, as well asBushs reflections about Americas proper role in the world. A trove for researchers, Bushs observations on late Maoist China will also draw general readers interested indiplomacy. --Gilbert Taylor
zlib_text:   * **_The world this week_**
    *  ** _Leaders_**
    *  ** _Letters_**
    *  ** _Briefing_**
    *  ** _Asia_**
    *  ** _China_**
    *  ** _United States_**
    *  ** _The Americas_**
    *  ** _Middle East & Africa_**
    *  ** _Europe_**
    *  ** _Britain_**
    *  ** _International_**
    *  ** _Special report_**
    *  ** _Business_**
    *  ** _Finance & economics_**
    *  ** _Science & technology_**
    *  ** _Books & arts_**
    *  ** _Economic & financial indicators_**
    *  ** _Graphic detail_**
  
  ## **The world this week**
  
    * **_Politics this week_**
    *  ** _Business this week_**
    *  ** _KAL’s cartoon_**
  
  **Politics this week**
  
  > Jan 21st 2021 |
  
  ![](Images/image00239.jpeg)
  
  **Joe Biden** was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States.
  Despite the small crowds, limited in size because of covid-19, the event
  marked a sea change in political tone. Mr Biden stressed “unity” in his
  speech, a stark contrast to Donald Trump’s “America First” theme four years
  ago. Mr Biden’s first official or