China confronting N. Korea????????

[Stand_watie]

If this is true (which I'm quite skeptical of), look for Kim (scumbag) Jong Il to quickly change his mind or quickly become dead. I think N. Korea is a China puppet, and if they prove I'm wrong I'll think a lot more of PRC.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/08/D8KKH8EG1.html

...Japan and China agreed Sunday that a North Korea nuclear test "cannot be tolerated" and that Pyongyang should return unconditionally to six- party negotiations on its nuclear programs, the Japanese prime minister said...

Other than courageous people protesting for basic human rights against an evil bastard who deserves to be gang-raped by demons, can anyboy tell me what the most beautiful thing they see in this picture is?

[Silver Bullet]

You are probably referring to the American flag.  It does kinda stand out like a full moon at midnight.

My guess is that China thinks they're "winning" at whatever grand strategy they have, and don't want to spoil it by having to become the bad guy if they're forced to take the side of North Korea in a war.

[mfree]

I think the photo was taken in South Korea. Several things inkle me that way, I'll explain if need be.

[Matthew Carberry]

"Several things inkle me that way, I'll explain if need be."

Would the "clues" be the South Korean Flag, the Western clothing, the American flag and the fact that they aren't dead in the street already?

Yeah, that's almost certainly South Korea.  I don't think the Red Chinese would allow a protest like this no matter what their position may be.

[280plus]

Yea, Id say the South Korean flag is a pretty good giveaway. Kind of warms the cockles of my heart to see the US flag there.

[mfree]

The writing is Korean too.

EDIT: Reason I piped up is that Stand_Watie worded things such as it sounds like he's talking about Chinese protestors.

[The Rabbi]

I liked the "not already dead in the street" comment.  Too true.

N.Korea is like the Billy Carter of the Far East.  They are screwing up the Chinese's chance to be taken seriously.  N.Koreans actually flee to China to escape the repression.

[Stand_watie]

Yes, it was the American flag, and yes I wrongly thought it was in Beijing because of the caption.

But it wasn't the American flag per se that I liked so much as what I thought the protestors were trying to represent. It could have been a Union Jack or a Swiss flag or a Taiwanese or Israeli flag and had the same message. Not so a Cuban, Iranian or Libyan flag.

[Vodka7]

This isn't as outlandish at it seems--modern China is smart, and can see that the Soviet Union is gone.  China has established diplomatic relations with both South Korea and the U.S..  Idealism is being largely replaced by commercialism, and China needs allies in the west far more than it needs anything North Korea could offer.

If they offer their help now, when the western world isn't yet demanding it, they not only avoid the bullying Pakistan endured over Afghanistan, but they've got a much bigger bargaining chip than they would have as a forced late entrant.  If there's a war with North Korea, China boosts its international image by being on the right side for once, and earns an important if not immediately influential ally in a reunited Korea.

Imagine what would happen if China becomes proactive--if instead of, say, America and its allies England and China going to war against North Korea, it's China and its allies America and Japan going to war.  China provides the troops to take the heat off Bush, Abe gets to show he's serious about improving Chinese and South Korean ties, and suddenly two of the most important countries in the world owe China some pretty large favors.  The communists get a huge boost in international relationships and something for the citizens to be proud of.

The cold war is over, but even the appearance of being in bed with the wrong people can have serious repercussions.  In 2006 defending communism isn't anywhere near as important as attacking despotism.

[AJ Dual]

Yeah, China isn't too happy.

China is quickly transitioning from "Communisim" to "Authoritarian Capitalisim", and NK is a major embarassment. As one of the few remaining "true believer" nations, NK keeps tagging along after China, like a little bully looking up to a bigger one, but the bigger bully has grown up somewhat, and is getting annoyed.

Meanwhile the "little bully" feels the need to "prove himself" to the older bully, not realy understanding that times have changed...

NK on the other hand, has nowhere else to go, so they look to China as their sole ally after the Korean War. Meanwhile, every Chineese microchip, car, and cell phone pushes them just a smidge farther apart.

And just like the old bully who's grown wiser with age, he's worried the little bully will pick a fight and draw him into it.

[HankB]

As long as North Korea is more of a threat to South Korea, Japan, and the US than it is to China, China will not do anything besides talk, talk, and talk some more . . . they know we (the US) is more fond of talk than action.

The Red Chinese leadership most likely likes having Kim Jong Il around as a burr under our saddle (they no doubt LOVE our difficulties in the Middle East) and while they will in the coming days issue public denouncements and such, they won't actually DO anything like cutting off NK's supply line. (Even if they say they will, they actually won't.)

China is taking a look at the big picture, and is willing to take some criticism over lack of action over NK if it causes us more difficulty in the long term. (Short of a coup, China's leaders are basically leaders for life, they have no 2 or 4 year election cycle to worry about, so they can plan 10 or 20 years out.)