A Subsidiary of China, Inc.

Piggybacking off the WSJ’s visual analysis/snickering about the Chinese flag flying in front of the Treasury Dept. (in the third shot above), I wonder — looking at President Hu’s state visit and the wire shots of the ceremonial display of the Chinese flag in DC — how much the photographers or their editors were thinking, at least in part, about power, power-finance and pecking order.

(photo 1: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images. caption: U.S. President Barack Obama listens as Chinese President Hu Jintao speaks during a state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House January 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. Obama and Hu are schedule to meet in the Oval Office later in the day, hold a joint press conference and attend a State dinner. photo 2: Charles Dharapak/AP. caption: Chinese and U.S. flags are displayed on Constitution Avenue in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, ahead of the arrival of China’s President Hu Jintao for a state visit hosted by President Barack Obama. photo 3: Published Uncredited/Wall Street Journal.)