Based on secret U.S. State Department cables from 2009 and early 2010 provided to it by WikiLeaks, the liberal British Guardian newspaper ran a story Nov. 29 claiming, "China has signaled its readiness to accept Korean reunification and is privately distancing itself from the North Korean regime." The news story was timed to coincide with joint U.S.-South Korean naval exercises in the Yellow Sea against which China had made loud protests.   These earlier Chinese claims now seem to have been part of a disinformation campaign meant to buy Beijing time to help North Korea get through its post-Kim Jong Il transition and deter outside intervention. China, with the support of Russia, have put on a full court press to protect North Korea from any retaliation for Pyongyang's artillery barrage of Yeonpyeong Island on Nov. 23, which killed four South Koreans. Beijing has called for a resumption of the Six Party talks which have been its main diplomatic vehicle for ...(Read Full Post)