&#62;Don't they realize how dumb they look?<p>I think this is the wrong question to ask. More like, "Do they care at all how they are perceived in the West?"<p>And the answer to that question has to be a resounding "NO"-- and for good reason.<p>Attempts at 'real diplomacy' (define as you will) are for nations which have reason to fear the repercussions of their actions. For the CCP, no such fear exists, nor should it. What's the worst any nation will do in retaliation to anything China has done throughout this whole affair, including, but not limited to, lying about what happened?<p>What is the United States or anyone else going to do? Embargo CHINA? Risk war (cyber or real-world) WITH CHINA? Obviously not. We need them too much; if we couldn't trade with China, the standard of living in the US would plummet, tons and tons of American corporations would go under, and countless Americans would be out of work because of it. Dislike the CCP for their ideological differences though we may, we'd never do anything more than slap them on the wrist (in 2010, anyway...2030 is a different story).<p>The CCP knows they're untouchable. That's why they act the way they do.<p>edit: Sorry about the caps lock. I'm a noob here and don't know how to italicize or bold yet. :(  Halp, anyone?<p>edit #2: In the paragraph which begins, "Attempts at...":
When I say, "For the CCP, no such fear exists, nor should it," I do NOT mean to say that it is a good thing for any nation to have license to act in this way. Rather, it was my intent to say that the CCP is correct to believe they can get away with such actions without risking serious repercussion.