[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Japan needs to announce that they are increasing their naval fleet with anti-missile capability. That will give the Chinese a fit will hopefully cause the “stuff” to roll down hill onto the Norks."

This is what I don't understand. It is truly in China's interests to get rid of this tinpot dictator menace in North Korea. Japan is going to continue to build up it's defenses and possibly at some point go nuclear themselves. It won't take them years to develop a bomb, more like months or weeks. The unintended consequences of the North Korea situation is that the whole region builds up it's defensive and offensive military capabilities. China can't be happy about that.

[Tallguy]

Who a country favors in foreign policy is often a double-edged sword. Eg. US backs the Mujahideen in Afghanistan because the give the Soviets fits — but they win. An offshoot Mujahideen group decides to attack us on 9/11.

I think NK serves a purpose for China. It keeps the US fixated on dealing with the Nork-threat while they (the Chinese) get a strategic free-ride. But as you pointed out, there comes a point at which there are diminishing returns for China. If the locals (Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, etc) get serious about their own naval & air (nuclear?) capabilities then China will find itself in a world of hurt.