See: Slow Saturday Special: China Keeps the Peace in Korea
"China slow to discuss North Korea with US" by Charles Hutzler, Associated Press | August 2, 2009
BEIJING - US attempts to draw up a broad contingency plan in case North Korea’s government collapses are being complicated by China’s refusal to talk about potential chaos engulfing its dysfunctional neighbor....
There is much Washington wants to go over with Beijing in a meltdown scenario: securing North Korea’s nuclear weapons, dealing with panicked North Koreans overrunning borders, and drawing up ground rules to keep the US and Chinese militaries from clashing as they did in the 1950-53 Korean War.
The United States has raised the idea of joint talks in several meetings with senior Chinese officials, most recently during a visit to Beijing last month by US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, the Associated Press has learned from foreign diplomats and Chinese scholars briefed on the meetings. Chinese officials rejected the overtures....
What, is the U.S planning something to make that happen?
The Chinese foreign ministry sidestepped questions from the AP on the US requests and North Korean contingency plans, saying only that “China has always been engaged in realizing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.’’ The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
On this one, they seem to be right.
The United States has 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea and treaty obligations to defend that country and nearby Japan. China, too, is wary about being drawn into conflict that might destabilize its northeastern areas near the North Korean border, which have struggled economically in the past decade.
Without careful planning with China, the United States is concerned that both armed forces could be drawn into conflict accidentally or be ill-prepared to handle attacks by North Korea’s army, the world’s fourth largest. If North Korea mounts an armed resistance to foreign militaries, a force larger than the United States committed to Iraq may be needed, a Council on Foreign Relations study said in January.
So the INVASION and REGIME CHANGE is A GO, isn't it?
“We have to talk about the potential mess because the probability is low but it could be catastrophic,’’ said Drew Thompson, a China analyst at the Nixon Center in Washington.
Then STOP THREATENING THEM and send 'em some food!
Beijing has ample reasons for not drawing too close to Washington. Should North Korea learn about US-China talks on a post-Kim future, Beijing is worried that its tetchy ally would become more difficult to deal with. If Kim’s regime crumbles, China’s communist leadership may want to preserve North Korea as a buffer state, rather than see a unified Korea ruled by US-allied Seoul that could bring a democratic government and American troops to China’s doorstep.
--more--"When you add all these stories up it tells you the delineation lines for WWIII.
And we don't want to mess to much with China: China Comes A-Callin'
Of course, someone might want to ruin that relationship.
"US, China pledge closer cooperation" by Associated Press | July 29, 2009
WASHINGTON - The United States and China yesterday pledged closer cooperation to deal with global hot spots such as Iran and the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.
While Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner sought to portray the two days of high-level talks as a positive development in US-China relations, the list of accomplishments on the economics side basically reaffirmed steps both nations have already taken to deal with the financial crisis.
On foreign policy, there were no apparent breakthroughs although the countries pledged closer cooperation in dealing with the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran. Clinton conceded that differences remained in many areas such as human rights, but she said the candid discussions were important in building the foundations for the two nations going forward. President Obama, who is scheduled to travel to China before the end of the year, met with the two delegations in the Oval Office yesterday.
--more--"
Can You Hear the HAARP?
