LOS ANGELES -- Is China only playing nice with the United States now in order to buy time and consolidate its power so that it has the capacity to hurt it later? You'd be surprised how many Americans think this -- or maybe you wouldn't!
Who knows about China for sure? Unlike hindsight, paranoia isn't always perfect, and neither are pundits. This column, for a decade now, has advocated the maximum degree of engagement with China. But punditry about Beijing's true intentions is about as dicey as predicting the fertility of mating pandas.
Optimists can look to the soothing presentations of Chinese high priests such as Qian Qichen. Qian recently dropped by Los Angeles to promote China's views on foreign policy, as well as his book "Ten Episodes in China's Diplomacy." He is a highly influential former vice premier, who during the 1990s was virtually the vicar of articulation with regard to Chinese foreign relations.