Whoa

Did I just blink and miss China becoming a global diplomatic force?

Last week, I casually followed the little Korean lunatic's nuclear tests and his big talk, as well as the reported apology that he later denied. This week, I woke up, picked up the paper and read that he now wants to engage in multi-lateral talks. That didn't just happen on its own, and the US can't be credited with bringing him to the table. China just bitch slapped that idiot and told him to behave, and it worked.

It seems that the rest of the world's states have generally crafted their foreign policy or Asian policies around China. Their respective plans appear to have been to act in ways that would keep China on the sidelines. For its part, China appeared satisfied to accept its assigned role as the sleeping giant everyone else shouldn't disturb. That may have just changed.

I think China took bold, open and direct action in this instance, and I wonder if this portends a change in how China will engage others in the future.