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Posted on 10/09/2006 12:53:49 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
China denounces "brazen" North Korea nuclear test
2 hours, 42 minutes ago
China said on Monday it firmly opposed North Korea's nuclear test, denouncing it as "brazen" in unusually strong language, and demanded Pyongyang stop any action that could worsen the situation.
China also urged North Korea to return to six-party talks it has hosted aimed at dismantling the North's nuclear programmes. The talks, which have been stalled for nearly a year, also group South Korea, Japan, the United States and Russia.
"The DPRK has ignored the widespread opposition of the international community and conducted a nuclear test brazenly on October 9," China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its Web site (www.fmprc.gov.cn).
The DPRK is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
"The Chinese government is firmly opposed to this," the Foreign Ministry said.
The statement used language that was unusually forceful for China, a neighbor and traditional Communist ally of North Korea that has advocated engagement and dialogue over stronger moves such as sanctions.
"The Chinese side strongly demands the North Korean side to abide by its pledges on denuclearisation and to stop any action that would worsen the situation," it said.
"Preserving peace and stability in northeast Asia accords with the joint interests of all sides. The Chinese government calls on all sides to respond calmly, and upholds a peaceful resolution through negotiation and dialogue."
Ping!
What's there to talk about?
The horse has already left the barn.
More of the Chinese good cop routine, with North Korea playing the bad cop. The fact that they're playing on the same team is so transparent, I can't understand why the media - and some Western analysts - continue to take Chinese good faith for granted.
Maybe, maybe not.
There's one thing for sure. China does not want a nuclear armed Japan. As of today, that is a very real possibility.
"......I can't understand why the media - and some Western analysts - continue to take Chinese good faith for granted."
They (U.S. State Dept) would tell you that they only "pretend" to take Chinese good faith for granted, on the "diplomatic" assumption that they get more benefit by not angering the Chinese.
The (U.S. State Dept) are fools, because their pretense is leading the Chinese down the road of miscalculating a U.S. response at a future crisis point.
If people plan to use some aspect of "strength" to forcefully achieve some goal at some future point, then responding to the preparatory points along the way with weakness leads them to expect a weak response when the time for the end-goal is met; thus they are led to fully expect they will be able to take their forceful action without grave consequences.
It is better to be completely clear with your enemies at all times, even when that "upsets them". At least they do not miscalculate your reactions.
You're assuming Japan does not already have nuclear weapons.
"You're assuming Japan does not already have nuclear weapons."
They don't even need one. All they need is to have all the ingredients in place ready for a secret crash program -- everything short of having to declare they've gone nuclear. They have the wealth, the critical ingredients and the know how...and now the strongest motivation they could possibly have. China has good reason to worry about Japan going nuclear.
Yeah, nukes tend to be kind of obvious.
From Wikipedia: Japan's USD $45.8 billion/year budget makes it the sixth largest military spender in the world, after the United States, People's Republic of China, Russia, United Kingdom and France.
I-think-you're-right bump.
I don't want a nuclear-armed Japan, especially one deploying eight-to-ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
I like Japan as an ally, but news that they were suddenly building CVA(N)'s and SSN's would make me rather nervous.
China does not want a nuclear armed Japan.
Yup. I said that on another thread. Also, they know as well as everyone else that Kim is a middle-aged-crisis nutbar narcissist.
Even though the Chinese are communists, they are sensible enough to realize that the only thing that can come out of this is regional and economic instability.
Or perhaps the Chinese are necessarily denying ownership of the "borrowed knife"?
Chia Head and his daddy twice tried to blow up the entire ROK cabinet.
What won't he try now, if he thinks he has impunity?
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