Jeff, thought you might be interested in this apparent bi-partisan scandal of Chinese espionage and "technology transfer".... or do you already know about it? If Rice really said that she can't see the PRC as a threat then I am losing a lot of respect for her..... I thought she had better judgment than that, but maybe she is just part of the "bi-partisan" clique of self-important foreign policy experts ala Madeline Half-Bright, William Perry, Sandy Berger, et al.
They will hope they can play nice with and placate the Europeans and deal with them later as they do this IMHO.
If we wait to respond strongly until a time of their chosing, we will be faced with a very difficult scenarion probably involving multiple theaters of major war and then their grab for Taiwan and control out to the 1st ilsand chain and beyond in the Western Rim.
I expect, if we get a demo in the WH in 2008...within a year of the Olympics we will see things like this develop in earnest.
The time to act is now...strong economic pressure, and a Reagan style military challenge at the same time.
Just my opinion.