It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

THANKS FOR THE HELP:

In recent weeks, President Bush and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell have complained loudly that China should be doing more to defuse the nuclear crisis in North Korea, China's reclusive neighbor and closest ally.

On Tuesday, Chinese officials returned the volley, saying that their diplomats had in fact been working hard to help mediate between North Korea and the United States, but that the two sides would have to find a solution themselves.

Seriously, the PRC is sharply constrained by its keen desire to neither foster a North Korean collapse (and unleash a flood of reugees across the Chinese border) nor acede to American-led military action. Given these constraints, what can the PRC really do?