China’s Reversal?
By John E. Carey
October 15, 2006
On Saturday, October 14, 2006, the United Nation’s Security Council passed a unanimous fifteen nation resolution condemning North Korea for its nuclear test last week. The Associated Press reported that, “The vote came after the United States, Britain and France overcame last-minute differences with Russia and China.”
The Security Council noted North Korea’s “flagrant disregard” of the council’s appeal not to detonate a nuclear device.
“The Security Council has adopted one of the most important decisions in recent times on an issue of great concern to the international community, that of nonproliferation,” Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima said after the vote.
While the unanimous action of the Security Council is heartening, yesterday’s news is even more about China than about the United Nations or the Security Council. Before last July 4, China had worked to persuade North Korea not to conduct long range missile test. Then when it became apparent that North Korea might conduct a nuclear test, China again resolutely went to work to persuade North Korea not to proceed.
When North Korea did conduct its apparent nuclear test, that may have been the last straw for China.
China is North Korea’s neighbor and provides about 70% of its oil and 40% of its food. Beijing doesn’t want the sanctions to cause the unstable regime in Pyongyang to collapse, sending refugees flooding across the border into China.
Nonetheless, on Saturday, October 14, 2006, China actually voted with the United States on a resolution against North Korea.
When was the last time that China voted with the United States and against North Korea?
Never.
China has repeatedly sided with North Korea since it entered the Korean War in 1950 against the United States and as an ally to North Korea.
What caused China most concern in negotiating the Security Council resolution, we are told, is China’s severe trepidation that war could erupt on the Korean peninsula. For that reason, China encouraged the language in the security Council resolution that rules out the use of force against North Korea.
But nations decide their own foreign policy based upon their own needs, goal and perception: not what the Security Council tells them. So North Korea knows, just because the Security Council failed to make force an option, that option is still on the table in several nations.
China also said it would vote in the affirmative, even with the language in the resolution supporting inspections like that fostered by the U.S. led Proliferation Security Initiative, but that it would not itself participate in any inspections. China views the inspections as a potentially provocative action that could ignite hostilities.
Saturday’s Security Council vote was a watershed for the U.S., the U.N. and China.
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Kim's going to keep spitting in the face of China until China decides the 'free ride' is over.
The man is not only dangerous to it's enemies, but to it's friends as well.