Economic change in China is coming about through wide-ranging economic reforms, is taking place at an unprecedented pace, and is affecting the lives of many of the inhabitants of the world's most populous nation. However, the attempts to reform the political process have been slow, like the attempts to reform the Chinese press. The Chinese press is the instrument of the Communist Party and a vital cog in the machinery of government. Changes in China's press system are taking place, mostly rhetorically rather than in practice. But a part of the rhetoric is driven by the realization that economic development and national modernization cannot continue to move forward without corresponding changes in other social sectors, including the press. There are two approaches to promote press reform. One advocates that the basic system and role of the press should be altered and would involve redefining Chinese press theory; while the other calls for relatively modest adjustments in the press' present operation and would involve affecting media performance through changes in content and improvement of news writing and presentation. Regardless of which approach is taken, it seems clear that problems arise in the discussion on press reform, such as whether an open economic system can exist in a closed press system and the impact on society as journalists become more independent and better educated. (Three notes are included, and 37 references are appended.) (MS)