The US Secretary of State met with the Chinese leadership and urged them to use their influence on North Korea to stop its provocations. The United States’ commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was also emphasized once again. Reporter Cho Eun-jeong reports.
On the 26th, the last day of his visit to China, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken met with President Xi Jinping and Wang Yi, director of the Communist Party’s Central Foreign Affairs Office, and “encouraged China to use its influence to pressure North Korea to stop its dangerous behavior and engage in dialogue.” He said.
Secretary Blinken said this at a press conference held in Beijing on this day, saying, “We discussed various regional and international crises in which China can play a constructive role.”
[녹취: 블링컨 장관] “I encouraged China to use its influence to discourage Iran and its proxies from expanding the conflict in the Middle East, and to press Pyongyang to end its dangerous behavior and engage in dialogue. Going forward, we’ll continue our high-level discussions on these and other issues.”
“We will continue high-level discussions on this and other issues in the future,” he said.
In this regard, the State Department said in a press release concluding Secretary Blinken’s visit to China, “Secretary Blinken emphasized the United States’ continued commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
[보도자료] “He underscored the US enduring commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
The State Department also reported that Secretary Blinken met with Director Wang Yi and “discussed the need to prevent further escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula.”
Meanwhile, at a press conference that day, Secretary Blinken pointed out the issue of China’s support for the Russian defense industry and warned that ‘there will be consequences.’
[녹취: 블링컨 장관] “In my discussions today, I reiterated our serious concern about the PRC providing components that are powering Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. China is the top supplier of machine tools, microelectronics, nitrocellulose – which is critical to making munitions and rocket propellants, and other dual-use items that Moscow is using to ramp up its defense industrial base.”
“During today’s discussion, we repeatedly emphasized our serious concerns about China supplying components that power Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.”
He went on to point out that China is the largest supplier of machine tools and microelectronics essential for making military supplies, rocket propellants, and other dual-use items.
He said, “We have made it clear that if China does not deal with this issue, we will deal with it.”
Secretary Blinken also expressed concern about China’s risky behavior in the South China Sea and China’s unfair trade practices in key industries such as solar panels, electric vehicles and electric vehicle batteries.
In addition, he said he urged China to strengthen punishment for those involved in fentanyl.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Secretary Blinken at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on this day and emphasized, “The United States and China are partners, not competitors.”
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President Xi said, “The two countries should help each other succeed rather than hurt each other,” and “Both countries should live up to their words with actions.”
On the other hand, Secretary Blinken told reporters that he raised the United States’ concerns with President Xi.
Secretary Blinken also met with Director Wang Yi for approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes to discuss pending issues between the two countries and international issues.
Director Wang Yi said that the Taiwan issue is a forbidden line that should not be crossed in the relationship between the two countries, and called for compliance with the ‘one China’ principle.
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“China’s demands are always consistent,” Wang said. “We urge them to always respect each other’s core interests, and urge the United States not to interfere in China’s internal affairs, not to suppress China’s development, and to protect China’s sovereignty, security, and development.” “I urge you not to interfere and not to step on the red line against China’s sovereignty,” he said.
In response, Secretary Blinken said, “The United States continues to pursue the one-China policy and does not support ‘Taiwan independence,’” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Dennis Wilder, former senior adviser for Asia at the White House’s National Security Council (NSC), pointed out to VOA on this day that the United States must take steps to put pressure on China in order to induce China’s involvement in North Korea.
Regarding Secretary Blinken’s repeated calls for China to play a constructive role in North Korea issues, former senior adviser Wilder said, “China does not believe that there is a need to help the United States on Korean Peninsula issues due to the nature of the current U.S.-China relationship.”
[녹취: 와일더 전 선임보좌관] “The Chinese really have stood back from this issue from their point of view. The current situation is stable. The status quo is workable. There is no war in Northeast Asia and they have some confidence, although I don’t, that the North Koreans would never start some sort of aggressive action on the Peninsula. I think for us to get Chinese help, we have to pressure the Chinese. We haven’t sanctioned Chinese banks that assist the North Koreans.”
“China is taking a step back from this issue,” he said. “In their view, the current situation is stable, war has not broken out in Northeast Asia, and they are confident that North Korea will not take aggressive actions on the Korean Peninsula.”
He said, “If the United States wants to get help from China, it must put pressure on China,” and added, “We did not sanction Chinese banks that support North Korea.”
Former senior adviser Wilder commented on Secretary Blinken’s visit to China, saying, “Continuing the conversation is better than not talking.”
However, regarding President Xi’s statement that ‘the United States and China are partners, not competitors,’ he pointed out that it was a “false dream” and said, “We will have an uncomfortable coexistence with China for decades.”
Former senior adviser Wilder said that this is because the world views of the United States and China are very different, and what the two countries want from the international order are different. “The relationship between the United States and China will never be the same as before and will always be competitive.”
This is Cho Eun-jeong of VOA News.
Tags: Blinken urges China exercise influence North Korea .. Emphasizes commitment denuclearization Korean Peninsula
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