Well I think my reference to purchasing power indicates pretty clearly which version of "need" I was thinking of. As Slick Willy says, "It's the economy, stupid." Wen Jiabo's (sp?) parting speech made it pretty clear that internal economics is a priority in China. As to your other two points, I think that you have a point, but there have been signs lately that Beijing is getting tired of North Korea and their shit. The resolution that is going through the UN today is I think probably going to be unopposed by China, which is a first. Part of the reason North Korea is doing so much sabre rattling is that in recent months the Chinese have been sending signals that they may not be willing to support a nuclear-capable North Korea any more than the US or Japan or any other of the local players. The scales are tilting, quietly, which is what has North Korea's knickers in a knot. I'd be very surprised if, underneath all the bluster from Pyongyang, North Korean diplomats aren't working around the clock to find a face-saving way of de-escalating tensions with the US.