Rich China, poor China conundrum as clout grows brings up the issue of China playing two games on the global economic market. “China has [caused] raised eyebrows when [the country] appeared to be demanding more rights as an unquestioned economic power while pleading poverty [if] asked to shoulder greater obligations,” writes Paul Eckert, the Asia Correspondent at Reuters. China plays the established economic powerhouse game–China holds 2 trillion in foreign reserves–when this is a convenient game to play–but, simultaneously, the World Bank groups China in lower-middle-income countries, with $936-3,705 in annual per capita income, based on 2007 data.

Considering this aspect of Chinese international economics is beyond my scope. However, it helps me to understand Chinese actors to better understand the framework from which they are operating. This goes back to when Jeff and I wrote about the stories that we won’t tell.