Isn't This A Surprise

UPDATE: The Chinese have been appeased. AP (03.23.05):

"Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday stepped up pressure on North Korea to return to nuclear talks, telling its visiting premier that dialogue is the only way to settle the dispute. Hu's comments, though mildly phrased, were unusually blunt and forceful for the Chinese leader, whose public statements are rarely so direct." Chinese Leader Steps Up Pressure on North Korea to Resume Nuclear Talks, Calling Them 'only Correct Choice'

Seeing as how we burned 'em with that cock 'n bull North Korea supplying Libya story. NYTimes (03.22.05):

"Chinese government leaders have offered Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice no assurances that they will step up pressure on North Korea to return to nuclear disarmament talks, senior officials traveling with her said Monday. For the last week, at every stop on her six-nation Asian tour, Ms. Rice has urged China to be more forceful with North Korea, as she did again on Monday, saying, 'China, in particular, has an important role to play.'" China Balks at Pressing the North Koreans

Blowing her off as well, "Japan's foreign minister, Nobutaka Machimura and South Korea's, Ban Ki Moon, also indicated during her visit that China may be in the best position to be persuasive." The Chinese said they "would talk to the North Koreans again". They also said that "a senior North Korean official was to visit Beijing later this week." For a sleepover no doubt. This is kind of, ummmm, interesting: "China had asked Ms. Rice before she began her trip to restate the offer in public so North Korea could see what it had to gain by returning to the negotiations. She did that several times, most recently at a news conference in Seoul on Sunday...." Restate the offer in public? Wonder how that humble pie went down?