Daniel Sneider: Fears of U.S. power drive China’s dealings with its neighbors

From the San Jose Mercury News:

The nationalist fervor evident in the anti-Japanese protests surging through Chinese cities this past week is genuine. But it is also being carefully orchestrated by the communist government in Beijing to assert China’s claim to leadership in Asia.

Behind this standoff lies a more subtle challenge to the United States, the power many Chinese believe stands behind Japan.