In its zigzagging pursuit of a more nimble and effective form of authoritarian rule, China may be having a defining moment. Its harsh crackdown on discontented Tibetans bore the hallmarks of Beijing’s hardline impulses. But its decision to scale back the elaborate domestic leg of the Olympic torch relay — after a flood of Internet protests calling it insensitive — is a sign that officials are not deaf to public sentiment.

Shi Anbin, a professor of media studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said he thought the international uproar after the crackdown in Tibet was having an impact on Communist Party leaders. “My judgment is that the Government has drawn some lessons from negative feedback,” he said. “I think it reflects a trend of Chinese openness and reform.”

So far, that approach appears to be paying off. Commentary on Chinese websites and in chat rooms has been full of praise for the Government’s emergency response. On Tianya, a popular forum where anti-government postings sometimes find a home, users have been quick to shout down those who criticise Wen and the military’s delay in reaching some quake victims. “Those who can only do mouth work please shut up at this key moment,” said one posting.

Another writer praised the People’s Liberation Army, saying: “Whenever there’s a crisis, they’re the ones on the frontline. ”

Chinese websites remain heavily censored, and a brief flirtation with openness and responsiveness does not mean that China is headed toward Western-style democracy. On the contrary, if China manages to handle a big natural disaster better than the United States handled Hurricane Katrina, the achievement could underscore Beijing’s contention that its largely nonideological brand of authoritarianism can deliver good government as well as fast growth.

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