Analysis: China's criticism softens but Beijing is undecided about its place in the world

The rhetorical time-out comes as President Hu Jintao heads to Washington this week, after months of friction with the US, and was evident this weekend at an international meeting designed to showcase China's growing reach as an economic and diplomatic powerhouse.

Senior Chinese officials repeatedly sidestepped major issues roiling the global economy. Asked about the Chinese currency – which both Washington and the EU want to see rise in value to right trade imbalances – the central bank governor said now was not the time to discuss it. When it comes to regulating the risky Wall Street and City of London practices that contributed to the global economic meltdown, China's chief banking regulator sheathed his former critiques and instead called for teamwork and more financial prudence.

"I don't want to poke my nose into other people's courtyards," banking regulator Liu Mingkang said at the Boao Forum for Asia, a government-sponsored annual gathering for the political and economic elite on tropical Hainan island.

The meeting featured the now usual Chinese calls against trade protectionism in the West, including one from China's vice-president and presumptive next leader, Xi Jinping.

But the tenor was a far cry from last year's Boao meeting, held at the depths of the economic crisis. Then, Liu and others directed barbs at the West, calling for a new financial world order and indirectly threatening that China might stop buying US Treasury notes that help finance Washington's growing deficit.

While the turnaround in Beijing's attitude may be temporary, the change points to indecision among the leadership about China's role in the world.

"We are in a time of reassessment by Beijing about China's foreign policy," said Russell Leigh Moses, a Beijing-based political analyst.

"There is no overarching slogan or concept guiding the decision-making process in foreign affairs these days here."

Though Washington welcomes the toned-down rhetoric, China's overall reticence befuddles those looking to Beijing to provide constructive leadership.

The country's economy, after all, will soon be the world's second largest and is increasingly entwined in the world order.

Though China warded off the worst of the economic turmoil, the government is now dealing with the aftereffects of its remedies, $1.8 trillion in bank lending and government stimulus.

The Chinese currency – which the government pegged to the US dollar at the start of the crisis – has come under attack from the US, Europe and other trading partners as undervalued, thereby allowing China to flood the world with cheap exports.

Those problems loom as President Hu arrives in Washington today to attend a summit on nuclear safety.

It's an issue Beijing dislikes being out in front on. With a nuclear arsenal estimated at about 100 warheads, China says the US and Russia should lead on disarmament, given their huge stockpiles.

Yet the economic disputes are also tricky for Hu. Calls have risen in the US Congress to punish China if it does not revalue the yuan. China does not like to be seen bowing to foreign pressure. The value of the yuan, Chinese officials and economists repeatedly said at the Boao forum, was a matter of national sovereignty.

At the Boao meeting, senior Chinese officials parried calls to mount a higher-profile, energetic response to global problems. Central bank governor Zhou Xiaoquan said Beijing still followed the three-decade-old policy "to keep a low profile" on foreign affairs.