[NJ_gent]

"Is it possible that China would invade N. Korea? Is there anything of value near where all the troops are?"

Yes. China taking North Korea would allow it to showcase its military power, would strengthen its position with Taiwan, would get American troops off the Korean penninsula and away from China's doorstep, would cause other nations in the region to gravitate towards China as a regional leader/protector, and would remove multiple potential nuclear threats from its doorstep.

[snowsislander]

Yes. China taking North Korea would allow it to showcase its military power, would strengthen its position with Taiwan, would get American troops off the Korean penninsula and away from China's doorstep, would cause other nations in the region to gravitate towards China as a regional leader/protector, and would remove multiple potential nuclear threats from its doorstep.

Indeed, from our viewpoint, it is a very logical course. But I don't see any evidence for it except for the troop movements, and the ostensible 3-day stoppage of oil.

Instead, Kim is freely visiting Beijing; materials still go in; and China has possibly let North Korea transship interesting materials via rail to Pakistan:

Since the beginning of this year, there has been a large-scale movement of military goods under military escort to Pakistan from China along the Karakoram Highway. While most of these containers were said to contain spare parts and replacements for the Chinese arms and ammunition and aircraft in Pakistan's arsenal, one should not rule out the possibility that the Chinese might have accepted the Pakistani request for the movement of the missile-related goods from North Korea by train and road across China and then along the Karakoram Highway.

Source: Asia Times, October 22, 2002

I just don't see the political signs that I would associate with a coup de main. This is not to discount a Barbarossa, but I don't think that has been the Chicom's style.