The Chinese have a sense of competition with all countries in this region but it is never stated so baldly. There have even been discussions with India recently to start discussions again over a disputed area of NE India.

It is also equally true that China will talk to countries who have good natural resources in order to ensure their supplies of ores, natural gas, timber etc. Even those these are countries with whom the west will not be comfortable dealing with. They take a very pragmatic approach to their needs. They will state that internal affairs of those countries are no business of theirs.

The average man/woman/child on the street here is extremely proud of their country's achievments and they are looking forward to the big showcase of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I can understand their pride but it is also tempered with the fact that they do not get the full story of what is happening in the wider world. That is changing though, many people have free access to satelite TV which from overseas which does not broadcast the partyline. Internet access if quite amazing and many younger Chinese will read online newspapers, Chinese websites are well monitored for non approved dissent but there is still a huge number of other overseas sites which are not blocked or controlled.

20 years ago when the fax was introduced into China you had to have a special licence to own one. Now no licences are needed.

As I said before it is a hard country to fathom.