At start of BRICS summit in Xiamen, Chinese president avoids direct attack on Pyongyang but underlines role of UN
China strongly condemned North Korea on Sunday after Pyongyang claimed success in launching its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.
The test late Sunday morning triggered a 6.3-magnitude quake followed by a 4.6-magnitude tremor, and was felt throughout northeastern China.
“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, disregarding opposition from the international community, has conducted another nuclear test, ” the Chinese foreign ministry said on Sunday afternoon. “The Chinese government resolutely opposes and strongly condemns this.”
In the coastal city of Xiamen, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not refer directly to North Korea as he opened the three-day BRICS summit, but he did say the group of emerging economies should be more proactive in mediating geopolitical disputes. He also underlined the importance of the United Nations.
It was the third time Pyongyang had conducted a test just before a major diplomatic event for Beijing.
North Korea also carried out missile tests ahead of Xi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida in April and as China prepared to host a massive summit in Beijing in May to discuss its signature “Belt and Road Initiative”.
Beijing has long insisted that the main targets of Pyongyang’s aggression are the US and South Korea, but Zhang Liangui, a professor of international strategic research at the Communist Party’s Central Party School, said the timing of the tests suggested there was a “China factor” at play.
“North Korea makes a bold move every time China has a big event, ” Zhang said.
He also said the international community had few options left to deal with Pyongyang.
“North Korea has sought to prove that sanctions don’ t work and it does not want to go back to the negotiating table any more, ” Zhang said.
“Now there are only two choices left: admit that we have failed in our goal of denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula or the US makes a military move.”
North Korea announces it has developed a powerful H-bomb that can fit in missile warhead
Lu Chao, director of the Border Studies Institute at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, said North Korea had reached the peak of its provocation with its sixth nuclear test, and it was time for China to respond with even tougher measures, such as cutting oil supplies to Pyongyang.
“North Korea is determined to push ahead with its plan under the mistaken belief that once it has nuclear weapons, the US will be forced to concede, ” Lu said.
“But the US and China will not recognise North Korea as a nuclear state.
“We need to take even stronger measures to ensure North Korea understands that it will pay an unbearable price if it continues with its reckless act.”
North Korean nuclear crisis casts a shadow over China’s BRICS summit
But Lu said China would likely oppose any unilateral action, and any further sanctions, such as cutting oil supplies to North Korea, would have to go through the UN Security Council.
Lu said the Xiamen summit was a chance for the leaders of China and Russia to discuss the situation, given their shared views on the matter.
Hong Kong-based military commentator Song Zhongping said the test was a great setback in efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons.
“As the situation worsens, the United States will probably have to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in this region, otherwise it would have to allow Japan and South Korea to develop or possess nuclear arms, ” Song said. “Either way, China would be surrounded by nuclear weapons and suffer the most.”
