The diplomatic chess game we don't see?

Are we playing a high level diplomatic chess game in Southeast Asia?  I ask because there has been ample (and short sighted, in my opinion) criticism of President Bush over the past week in regards to the administration’s approach to North Korea.  I think the administration has correctly identified that China is the key to North Korea, which is why we will not depart from the 6 party talks.  On top of that, look what has happened in the week since North Korea launched its 7 missiles.  Japan has increased its talk of military build up and of the possibility of using preventative, offensive strikes, a possibility that surely unnerves China and North Korea.  Taiwan began rumblings about doing its own missile test, which surely irritates and unnerves China as well.  Finally, and perhaps more coincidentally, India tested a medium range missile.  All of this may serve to show China how undesireable a wild and wooly SE Asia is in their own backyard, and may up the ante for them to dial up the pressure on North Korea in exchange for having us dial back Japan and Taiwan.