China gets tougher with North Korea

Asia Times ^ | 4.8.03 | Antoaneta Bezlova

[Eric in the Ozarks]

"US recklessness."
Translation: We'll do what we say.

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[Enemy Of The State]

[MattinNJ]

Beijing is fretting over growing public debate in Japan on how to upgrade its self-defense forces to suit the country's pacifist constitution

Just like the Muslim terrorists, the only thing Communists respond to is force. Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea are teaming up to contain North Korea and by extension, the Chicoms. Combined with a growing threat from India, China finds itself boxed in despite their (and the Clinton's) best laid plans.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Sounds like China has a dawning realization of how many chips are on the table.

[Mamzelle]

No--this has something to do with possible US troop rearrangement in SK. I don't think we're doing what they expected...

[Hodar]

Listening to my AM radio this morning, the host said that China considers the UN as being irrevelant; as it has ignored North Korea's nuclear efforts. Therefore, China (who condemned us for Iraq) may sidestep the UN and take care of N. Korea itself..... interesting....

[legman]

growing security concerns about possible US recklessness

There is a method to our madness.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

I wonder if we have some formerly nuclear-tipped missiles lying around--and if so, how many 250-lb GPS guided laser bombs one of them could fire, say, 250 miles . . .

[Mr. Jeeves]

The war in Iraq has been a wonderful object lesson for thugs around the world, from Damascus to Tehran to Tripoli to Pyongyang to Paris. China seems to have decided that discretion is the better part of valor, and that they ought to start reining in their yappy little dog Kim before he bites the wrong person.

[Hugin]

BEIJING - China's newfound interest in urging Pyongyang to go to the multilateral negotiating table reflects its growing security concerns about possible US recklessness in handling the North Korean nuclear crisis, and alarm over military resurgence from neighboring Japan.

The Bush strategery of doing nothing and allowing the reality to sink in to NK's neighbors is working. China expected Bush to jump through hoops and offer NK new goodies. Instead they face the prospect of Japan re-arming, and Japan, SK, and Taiwan being armed with ABMs and possibly nukes in response. Oops.

[Steel Wolf]

The last thing the Chinese want is for the Korean situation to get out of hand. They have neither the time, money, or inclination to solve the problem themselves, and would much prefer for them to remain a thorn in our sides. The sad fact of the matter is that the Chinese don't have much in the way of options to deal with the DPRK. Any leverage that they put on North Korea, past a certain ammount of growling, will be viewed as hostility. They can influence, but not demand.

The Chinese are still hoping that we will come around and pay the North Koreans off, if nothing else because they think we don't have the stomach to fight the kind of war that Korea would produce. The North Koreans themselves don't have a choice. If we don't pay them off with food and energy, they're done for. They're cornered and desperate, and betting everything on us cutting a deal to avoid a bloodbath.

[hosepipe]

Clue: North Korea does nothing without Chinas tacit approval....
Chinas crazy Uncle in the attic to people that hav'nt been paying attention...
A Geo-Policitcal tool to those that have...

[Paul Ross]

This article is phony window dressing. Saving face for China. North Korea is China's sock-puppet. It is used to distract and confuse the U.S. ('The Main Enemy') while China pretends blissfully to be innocent of any control over its sock-puppet. It is China which has been backing North Korea diplomatically to the hilt, threatening war with the U.S. if we intervene militarily, and denying that 'multilateral' approaches are appropriate. So they clearly are hoping to make North Korean another tar-baby for the U.S. We didn't bite. And we won't be initimidated by their threats. So China is in essence, backing down from its sock-puppets apparent brinksmanship. China has lost face to a superior card-player.

[Feckless]

" US recklessness in handling the North Korean nuclear crisis"

Translation: We CAN and WILL kick your @$$, with or without nukes (regular or extra crispy).

[hchutch]

"alarm over military resurgence from neighboring Japan"

Translation: The Japanese are not going to let themselves be pushed around any more.

[Kudsman]

bump for later

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[madison46]

I've long said a visit by a US defense official to Taiwan with discusions on various issues from PAC-3 Patriot systems to Ageis curisers et al would get China's attention and help faster than anything else. Wish we would just fly couple hundred PAC-3's to Taiwan and an Air squadron just 'temporarily' of course ;-)