(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on June 30) - China`s N.K. policy

On his visit to Tokyo Sunday, President Lee Myung-bak reaffirmed with Japanese
Prime Minister Taro Aso their governments' joint efforts to achieve the
denuclearization of North Korea. As much as Seoul and Tokyo pledged closer
cooperation toward their common goal, greater distance is felt between China and
its two neighbors to the east.
The two leaders expressed their desire to hold five-nation "consultations,"
excluding North Korea from the six-party talks. But Beijing has already showed
its adherence to the six-party format. Lee and Aso stressed arranging the
five-party meeting "within the framework of the six-way talks" in recognition of
China's reservations.
Yet, since Pyongyang conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006, cracks
have opened up in the coalition to end North Korea's nuclear program. The schism
became more apparent as the North challenged the international community with its
repeated missile launches and another nuclear test. After the hassle of adopting
the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874, Beijing came up with a liberal
interpretation of the latest U.N. action to impose sanctions on the North.
Beijing's Foreign Ministry spokesman pointed out that international punitive
measures should not affect the North Korean "people's wellbeing and the country's
normal trade and economic activities." The fact that the resolution was
unanimously adopted meant there was a high degree of consensus in the UNSC
regarding the alleged limits to the effect of the sanctions, he argued -- a clear
attempt to justify China's reluctance to faithfully implement the sanctions.
In its preamble, Resolution 1874, adopted last June 12, said measures imposed by
the resolution "were not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for
the civilian population" of North Korea. And in prohibiting international
financial aid to the North, article 19 recognizes exceptions for "humanitarian
and developmental purposes directly addressing the needs of the civilian
population."
We can guess what role China played in inserting these clauses into the
resolution. Still, the resolution in no way directs the international society
against taking actions that would affect North Korea's "normal trade and economic
activities." The Chinese Foreign Ministry's clarification only demonstrates
Beijing's intent to continue economic aid to North Korea despite the world body's
resolution to punish the regime.
It has been evident that what China fears most about the turbulent developments
on the Korean Peninsula in recent years is the possible collapse of North Korea,
which could send millions of refugees across the border. Given the large ethnic
Korean enclaves in the northeastern territory, the influx could cause serious
instability in that part of the country. Nuclear proliferation in the region,
prompted by North Korea's nuclear armament, is unlikely given the strong U.S.
opposition to it.
For whatever reasons, Beijing's continued patronage of a regime that builds
nuclear weapons while its people are starving and its support of a ruler who is
plotting a dynastic succession causes a loss of international trust as it rises
to a leadership position with its growing economic power. Chinese leaders may not
like such temporary measures as five-party talks, but they should admit the
failure of the five-year-old six-way process.
President Lee's one-day visit to Tokyo was not at all useless, with his
productive discussions on economic matters. Now he has to head to Beijing to tell
the Chinese leaders that denuclearization requires all players to fulfill their
international obligations and not arbitrary rephrasing of a U.N. resolution.
(END)