Mr. Chellaney, you might be disappointed that China is not so "friendless" after all. In fact it does co-operate with antagonists, when common interests are shared. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart are working on North Korea to rein in its nuclear programme.

The Burmese government suspended the long planned and highly controversial hydroelectric Myitsone Dam in the face of growing public opposition. It listened to its people, who feared China's growing influence in Myanmar.

The Burmese are emerging from their isolation after years of economic sanctions imposed by the EU and the US. Only China, India and South Korea had invested in the country. China is still Myanamar's main ally. Last July a fully operational gas pipeline was launched between the two countries, which had partially started supplying gas to China's southwest regions.

Is North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong-Un really "distancing himself from China"? He might enjoy flexing his muscles and irking China, he is definitely not "signaling a desire to move in a similar direction" as Myanmar. Kim is a preposterous brat and it's not clear, how much power he wields. On the contrary Myanamar's President Thein Sein is seen as a moderate and a reformist. Since he became president, there have been undeniable moves towards political liberalisation.

Mr. chellaney, you might be the only person who asserts Kim's "independent course" as a “de-Sinification” of North Korea. Korea had been conquered by China 2000 years ago. It adopted Confucianism in the 14th century. Otherwise it has always had its own culture.

The relationship between North Korea and China is not cordial and Beijing's interests in the "hermit kingdom" are not altruistic. Nevertheless both China and the US are keen to see an evolution in North Korea rather than a revolution, due to the vagaries of uncertainties. South Korea dreads the economic burden of a reunification. Whether the unravelling of North Korea would lead to a "reunified and resurgent Korea allied with the US", or a “Finlandized" Korea in China's backyard, that "offers permanent strategic concessions to the superpower next door" is up to the Koreans to decide.







