Cold War II, Now Playing

It all reminds me of a Garrison Keilor sketch from the early 90s about listless American men missing the Cold War.

Hanker no longer. It's breaking out all over the place.

From the blue corner:
Financial Times
China fumes after US arms sales to Taiwan
Sydney Morning Herald
Honeymoon over for US and China
New York Times
U.S. Arms for Taiwan Send Beijing a Message
The Times
China says US arms sales to Taiwan could threaten wider relations

From the red corner:
Global Times
China halts military ties with US
China Daily
Beijing furious at arms sales to Taiwan

The furore over a watered-down arms package that won't alter the military balance ($$) is a classic piece of Chinese political theatre. A timely distraction from the Google debacle, hugely appreciated by the home audience and even the anti-China foreign media is right on message. Beijing must be loving it.