I’m off to Israel for the next 12 days.

Coincidentally, there is a huge issue tying all three countries — the U.S., China and Israel — together: Iran’s nuclear program.

Israel will be sending a delegation to China later this month to persuade China to sanction Iran so that Iran might decide it’s against their interests to keep trying to make nukes.

China, of course, prefers to just negotiate with Iran. Though Israel has gotten Russia on board somewhat, China is a stubborn little child and is unlikely to back down because of a) their ties to Iran, but mostly b) pressure from the West, which it hates.

Ye Hailin, the international relations professor quoted in the article, showed a keen understanding of how Iran works and China’s position: Iran’s desire to develop “nuclear power” cannot be measured with money, and ties in deeply with their dignity and honor. In the same vein, China will lose face (OH HELL NO) if it bows to Western pressure and get very little appreciation in return. Naturally, articles like this one won’t entice China to come around any more.

China is still a developing country from more than just an economic standpoint. Psychologically, Beijing has developed about as much as a 5-year-old. Note to Beijing: The world will never take you seriously, no matter how fast you develop or how big your economy is, until you start being responsible for goodness’ sake without needing recognition for it.