N. Korean leader Kim Jong Il's China visit highlights crucial ties!

Brickbats, Bouquets & Backfeeds are welcome on prmadhura@yahoo.com

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN - Associated Press | AP – 32 minutes ago

BEIJING (AP) — Reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong II's visit to crucial ally China highlights his regime's increasing dependence on its giant neighbor amid his country's economic collapse and diplomatic isolation over its nuclear program.

This is Kim's third trip to China in just over a year, indicating an interest in the market economy initiatives that Beijing is believed to be pushing for in North Korea. But previous reform attempts have been abandoned in spite of chronic food shortages, and it's far from clear how far the ailing 69-year-old Kim — or his anointed successor, son Kim Jong Un — would be willing to go.

"For North Korea, it won't be easy to reform its economy and open up itself to the outside world," said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean studies at Seoul's Dongguk University.

Is China going to be the big-brother of all Rogue States?*“Gilani visits China as Pak faces international scrutiny!” at, http://prmadhura3.blogspot.com/2011/05/gilani-visits-china-as-pak-faces.html

Full story at,

http://in.news.yahoo.com/kims-china-visit-highlights-crucial-ties-112959367.html;_ylt=AuTUgu0ZqBYQewLAHqopFb_LscB_;_ylu=X3oDMTM5NzVqM3I5BHBrZwNhY2IzYjJlYi0wODAzLTNkODAtYjAyOC1jMjI1NDVmMTk4NmUEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhVG9wU3RvcnkEdmVyAzZlYTAyYmIwLTg1MzAtMTFlMC04ZjI5LTdiMDY1ODJiOTAxYQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTFjYW9lY2s1BGludGwDaW4EbGFuZwNlbi1pbgRwc3RhaWQDBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3