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The Nixon trip began with a nod toward accommodation rather than confrontation with China. Washington announced relaxation of 19-year-old strictures on trade with and travel to mainland China. The new regulation allows travel to China—without special application to the State Department beyond normal passport procedures—for members of Congress, teachers, scholars with postgraduate degrees, undergraduates, scientists, medical doctors, Red Cross representatives and journalists. The relaxed rule also permits U.S. tourists to buy up to $100 worth of goods manufactured on the Chinese mainland. Substantively, the changes could not be considered as very important. As the U.S. expected, Peking immediately denounced them, though in fairly calm language. Obviously, few Americans will be given entry visas by Peking. While the announcement probably brought joy to the shop owners in Hong Kong, the $100 allowance will have little effect on the economy there or in China (see BUSINESS). But in diplomacy, symbolism is often as valuable as substance. The move betokened American willingness to try to reduce tensions with the Chinese, an effort pleasing to many of the U.S.'s Asian allies. Equally important, it let the Soviet Union know that, as one State Department official put it, "there is a second string to our fiddle." Russia fears a Sino-American rapprochement. At the same time, it has seemed in some instances recently that Washington was teaming with Moscow against Peking. Last week's mild overture toward China was obviously intended to lend a little leverage to U.S. negotiators by demonstrating that the U.S. seeks to communicate with both Communist giants.