While loading up on discounted books recently at the now closed Page One store in Times Square, a book in the China section caught my eye, if just for its unusual title: .
The American author, Peter Kiernan, is a former partner of Goldman Sachs. I was reminded of it while reading the splash yesterday: "US attacks UK over China stance". A cheeky colleague remarks, rudely but not inaccurately, that the story might have been headlined: "US bitch-slaps UK over China".
Kiernan, I surmise, doesn't really think the US is in danger of being China's female canine companion. Rather, an interviewer in the journal correctly states Kiernan's real intention: "How do we make China bitch [original italic]?"
Well, the splash provides the contour of an answer to that question. It has to do with Britain joining the new China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Now that's very naughty of the David Cameron government without even consulting Washington, which has been strong-arming its allies not to join.
The criticism from Washington is described as "rare" because of "the special relationship": London since Winston Churchill has been Washington's favourite and most trustworthy barking companion. So you can only imagine the anger of the American master when cuddly little London wants to jump ship and become Beijing's pet.
It's part of an overall strategy of the US. Deny a voice to China or at least contain it on the world stage through multilateral institutions while denouncing and exaggerating its conventional military buildup - nowhere near in absolute or relative terms to America's - and its corrupting influence with its overseas investments across South America and Africa.
