The White House’s statement seems an attempt to ward off a more serious, violent crackdown, while not giving Chinese Communist officials too much room to claim that demonstrations are being directed from Washington. All things considered, that’s a reasonable approach, even if the cautious wording has enraged some conservatives who want Biden to take a harder line.

Certainly, the statement is a lot more criticism than the White House ever offered of the Canadian government’s harsh crackdown on truck drivers protesting a requirement that they be vaccinated in order to reenter their country.

Quite the opposite. The Biden administration urged the Canadian government to use whatever means it had to reopen border crossings barricaded by the so-called “Freedom convoy” and get a handle on the protests. …

That doesn’t mean Canada is generally more authoritarian than Communist-ruled China. To argue that would be absurd.

But Trudeau’s actions are evidence that progressive, democratically elected governments still struggle with the authoritarian impulse when their control is threatened. It’s an impulse the Biden administration was happy to encourage.

[And let’s not even get started on their pressure campaigns regarding speech on social-media platforms. — Ed]