BEIJING (Reuters) - 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. "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."
| Does this mean the Chinese will turn off the oil spigot? Will they stop the trains bringing food into NKor-land? Will they mass troops on their side of the border? Because if they don't any of these things then this press release is just propaganda for world consumption (don't worry, the Dhimmicrats will buy it). We have relatively few options: a total embargo would help keep the NKors from exporting nukes and nuke technology but might push Kim Jon Il-vis over the edge. And a sanction has to be honored by the Chinese or it's just a waste of time. A coup would be nice but it would have to be organized by the Chinese. Attacking NKor-land simply isn't a viable option, given the 10 to 15,000 artillery tubes pointed at Seoul. |