Chi Haotian rose to the top rank of Defense Minister well after Tianamen Square's massacre....in 1995.
And he was in power until 2003, a full eight years, standard for that office.
His successor is not noticeably of different outlook. If you're looking for incremental change...you're looking in vain.
I'm not talking about incremental change. Radical change has occured in China in the past ten years. In Beijing in 2003 I was able to buy western books, newspapers, and news magazines. I watched MSNBC on cable--not in a hotel, in a private home. I visited two separate art gallaries displaying pro-freedom exhibits. I saw shopping malls and supermarkets filled with western goods and foods. Beijing and Singapore are both vibrant cities--more like Chicago or New York than one would ever believe.
Are there Marxist dinosaurs remaining in the government? Sure. But China today is no more a Marxist nation than Canada. Does the government remain authoritarian? Sure, but considering the nations diverse and massive population, this is no surprise.
China is not going anywhere and war with her is unthinkable and unnecessary. So, "here's to" a future of positive Sino-American relations.