World Notes CHINA

A few weeks before Congress is scheduled to debate renewal of China's most- favored-nation status, Beijing last week announced the release of 211 dissidents, jailed since last June's crackdown in Tiananmen Square. Congressional leaders, however, said they were unlikely to be swayed by the move. Senator Richard Lugar warned that there was "very considerable sentiment" to deny China the MFN status it has held since 1980. The impact of the prisoner release was also diluted by allegations from Xu Lin, a Chinese embassy official who defected two weeks ago. According to Xu, Beijing has been systematically harassing its expatriate students, warning them of jeopardy to their families and careers if they participate in antigovernment activities.