Posted on 05/07/2005 4:48:22 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
34 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China rejected a U.S. envoy's proposal to cut off North Korea's oil supply as a way to pressure the reclusive government to return to disarmament talks, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.
Chinese government officials rebuffed the U.S. idea, claiming it would damage their pipeline, the newspaper said citing unnamed U.S. officials briefed on the talks.
In a meeting in Beijing on April 26, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill raised the suggestion of a "technical" interruption of fuel. But Chinese official Yang Xiyu complained the Americans were focused on too narrow a range of tools for China to influence Pyongyang, according to The Post.
Chinese officials suggested that cutting off food deliveries would have the biggest impact and indicated Beijing was considering expanding a ban on certain imports to North Korea, it added.
China provides much of North Korea's energy and food, and has boosted trade with its neighbor by 20 percent in the last year.
The reported push for a Chinese fuel cutoff came amid signs that North Korea may be planning to test a nuclear weapon, driving the United Nations atomic watchdog on Friday to ask world leaders to urgently pressure the government to desist.
That warning came as a U.S. defense official in Washington said U.S. spy satellite images had shown what may be preparations for an underground nuclear test, although the official said it might also be "an elaborate ruse" by the North Koreans.
In February, North Korea announced it was indeed a nuclear power and said it would not return to six-nation talks on its nuclear programs, which have been stalled for 11 months.
U.S. officials have increasingly turned to China to help bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. However, China's apparent reluctance to put more pressure on Pyongyang has frustrated U.S. officials, The Post reported.
Ping!
Plot thickens.
China needs to be humbled.
I didn't think they'd be this arrogant for another 15-20 years.
Lets cut off trade with them and they won't have any surplus to use to buildup their military for a future attack.
Why does the U.S. think China would be of any aid? Their satrapy's actions suit them just fine. It would be no surprise to find Chinese or Pakistani technicians providing assistance on North Korea's bomb project.
Wall Street won't have it. Equity there is much-owned by China. Besides, where would Walmart get its plastic slinkies?
Why? Because it's a chance to illustrate the true nature of the situation. We decided we didn't want to just nuke the DPRK even if we knew that China was using them as a tool. That would have been roundly criticized. So we negotiate every which way we can, multilaterally, demonstrating to the world that every time we get to the point in the negotiations, China plays possum while the DPRK has a blue-faced tantrum. By now, anyone can see what's going on. Our next moves, if they're aggressive, will be better justified, if still widely criticized. A further unresolved problem (as we've been discussing) is that China trades with our business elites. Cheap trinkets at K-mart are sooooo easy to market right now for fun markups. Who wants to stop the gravy train from China over a minor issue like nuclear proliferation?
Wall Street knows there is no rule of law in China. If they don't know, or are ignoring this fact, let them take their lumps.
Actually, they need to to be humiliated, as it's the only thing they understand.
China needs to get the message, and I admit I have no real idea how to do it, that they can't go off like a 3 year old that's been told that it can't have ice cream for dinner, whenever international affairs don't go as they wish. They're a brutal country with a violent and horrific history. That being said, I don't see any value in rubbing their nose in this, but recognition from them that things could be done otherwise and better would be helpful.
Bottom line: China has no claim on Taiwan. Period.
The Chinese are suicidal.
An opinion from Germany. Interesting…
The opinion that dominates here is that China arms NK in order to keep the US off balance in the region while playing the role of the more responsible power. The beliefe that they can get away with such a fraud is the source of the arrogance comments.
I don’t know the border situation well, but I suspect that China could close it in a heartbeat.
Kim lashing out would give us an excuse to eliminate him as a global problem.
People should not be dissuaded from focusing on this problem by possible oil price spikes.
China has created and sustained this monster. They are going to have to confront reality now or later. Later will be uglier and harsher I assure you.
If 20th century history has taught us anything, its that waiting to confront evil is not a smart idea. The problem will only grow worse.
Can we really live in a future world where nuke tech. will be as common C-4 explosive is commonly obtainable today? We must resist the flow of history and put this genie back out of reach. IMO
AHH why I get the feeling I am not suprise Tiger
If China really cut off oil Little Kim going be roaney
Just wait till antimatter gets developed in macroscopic quantities.
Really, the Chinese will do whatever they think is in their own best interest, and what else can we expect of them? International cooperation is hardly their forte, they have their own agenda with respect to NK, are in the talks for their own reasons and these may have little to do with our reasons.
I think trying to do business with the Chinese, whether commercially or politically, is like trying to catch eels barehanded.
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