Spotlight on China at G20 Summit

This week's G-20 Summit in London is a time for the top economic powers to discuss the current financial crisis. It is also a time to see how how these powers interact with one another. China, one of the few economies expected to grow this year, seems reluctant to act like this is the case. “China's economy is not as strong as some people might think” is a recent quote by one Chinese official. However, many believe that China's economy is expected to surpass Japan's in the upcoming year as the world's second largest behind the U.S., if it hasn't already.
This behavior by China is puzzling to much of the international community because of the large amount of foreign debt China holds would seem to give the country more power than it seems willing to admit. The United States alone owes China $1 Trillion in loans, with the rest of the “West” owing close to that amount. Though with the majority of China's cheap exports going to the U.S., it is not in the Middle Kingdom's to call in these debts. The best case scenario for China would be when the recession is over to have over taken the Japanese economy, continued their 6.5% growth rate and have the U.S. ready to buy Chinese goods again.
What does all of this mean? It means that regardless of if the rest of the world or the Chinese themselves want China to be a player in the 21st Century, by sheer weight of numbers(both financial and population. Remember, China has 1/6 of the world's population within its borders) China will be an integral part of the world community for the foreseeable future.