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You've pulled a nifty diplomatic hat trick when you convince your main competitor to blame himself for your bad behavior -- and to consider canceling his opposition to that misbehavior to mollify you! Yet China might pull off such a feat if it protests so long and loudly against the Obama administration's 'pivot' to Asia that Washington desists from supporting its allies there. And acting put-upon is a task at which Chinese officials and pundits excel. Once isolated, weaker Asian nations would find it hard if not impossible to buck China's will -- which is precisely the point for Beijing.