Talk of green, not war, partnerships

Using US President Barack Obama's visit to China as a peg, some American columnists have suggested (presumably for money and convenience) that Washington ask Beijing to "help out" in Afghanistan (a costly job -- $1 million for a solder a year) so that the Americans can "do more good things" to protect the world's environment.

But a more likely scenario, as many Chinese would argue, would be the other way round. The Chinese should never help the US in the Afghan war, because there are people, even if a few, who are still using the US as a shelter for their campaign to split a part of China bordering Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Theirs' is not just a slogan-shouting campaign, for they are experts at fanning racial hatred and violence. During a "protest march" earlier this year, they ransacked shops and even killed some passers-by.