'America The Beautiful' Accompanies China Launch : NPR

'America The Beautiful' Accompanies China Launch : NPR:

What this is, it seems to me, is a rather brilliant and ironic twisting of the knife by Chinese into the American belly. The subtext is, OK, we essentially own you now, you're so far in debt to us, and now we are making the first move to take over space from you, but here's a little of your own music for old times sake since you won't have future opportunities to play it yourself.

I'm reminded of a similar gesture in sports. Decades ago, during the run of great Wooden basketball teams at UCLA, the undefeated Bruins were upset by Notre Dame in South Bend. Later in the season the Irish came to UCLA for a rematch.

When the Irish players first came on the court to warm up before the game, the huge audience of UCLA students began humming the Notre Dame fight song! Humming it! Throughout their warm up! It was unnerving, and UCLA went on to cream them.

An ironic twist of the knife can be very effective. China is showing off.