By Li Hong, People's Daily Online
It seems to me that China is "resolutely opposed" to Pyongyang's progressing nuclear weapons program, speaks of one of Beijing's key national interest concerns: Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in China's surrounding regions will only hamstring near-term stability and jeopardize long-term security in the area.
Our own painstaking as well as sweet-chewing experiences from 1949 to present day has strengthened a conviction or belief among Chinese people that, only by throwing oneself to the dynamics of the world system, can a country thrive, prosper, and earn others' respectful eyes. Isolation -- closing all one's doors and windows -- attains nothing, except exacerbates poverty and extends a gap with the international community.
With growing economic success and rising confidence, Beijing becomes lately more of a trouble-shooter or a peace-maker. Its comprehensive package of economic and personnel interaction with Taiwan, put into effect since Ma Ying-jeou came to office in the island one year ago, has made the Taiwan Strait, once a place for rattling sabers for both sides, a "more peaceful" place. Residents on either side have greatly benefited.
The hidden analogy could possibly explain why Beijing is keen to see a lasting peace reigning in Northeast Asia, a nuclear-free Korea Peninsula, a détente between the two Koreas and Japan, and more integration and trade opportunities among all the parties there, China, Russia and the United States included. That also explains why China is a little bit disheartened that after so many rounds of Six-Party Talks, which Beijing was hosting, little has been achieved.
And yet several days ago, in a quite provocative act, Pyongyang test-fired a second underground nuclear device, which it has claimed a success, rattling not only the ground here in China, but the international non-proliferation community as well.
By whatever terms, Beijing is loath to see wars erupt in the Peninsula, albeit nuclear warheads flying in the region.
China will not rush to define Pyongyang's latest nuclear test as "erratic, frightening and self-destructive", as asserted by some Western press, but nuclear brinksmanship can hardly harvest anything this time, as shown by the rapid negative response from the United Nations Security Council. Sure, the move has grabbed international attention, but voices of opposition and condemnation run aloud.
Western governments and information agencies are speculating that Pyongyang's latest outbursts of nuclear test, missile launches, reprocessing of spend fuel rods, and threatening of military assaults against South Korea, all point to a newly emboldened military there "influencing decision-making", the claim can hardly be verified. However, that fact China and Russia close ranks with the other parties tells a trend that, they are getting serious with peace in Korea Peninsula, and their patience is running thin.
Now, the United States has brought F-22 new generation fighter jets to Okinawa base, and Pentagon chief Robert Gates has pitted warnings against Pyongyang in the Asian security forum in Singapore that U.S. won't console further provocations, and see its allies, South Korea and Japan, sputter under Pyongyang's fires.
For China, any flare-up of war in its neighboring regions means an economic disaster and humanitarian catastrophe, as it will froze business opportunities and makes tens of thousands of innocent people lose jobs, homes and families, and suffer on the Peninsula.
Therefore, the advocacy to Pyongyang include: Be tempered, think it over, calculate options, come back to the negotiating table, and seal peace.
The article represents the author's view only. It does not represent opinions of People's Daily or People's Daily Online.
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