For many years, the United States and China have both had a problem with North Korea’s impact on regional stability, and both have insisted that the solution would only be possible if the other took action. From the US perspective, this meant pushing China to further cut ties with North Korea, and for China, it meant trying to get the US to the table.
Over the weekend, China made their move, suspending coal imports to North Korea, and while it’s being presented as a “message” to North Korea, analysts say it is also a message to Trump, that the ball is now in his court, and he needs to talk with North Korea.
The US has had plenty of opportunities to talk with North Korea, and has mostly refused to do so. North Korean officials are actively trying to get State Department permission to come to the US for talks right now, and even if there’s no chance of them meeting current US officials, even allowing them to the US to meet former officials would be a big move.
It’s unclear if the US is going to make any such concession, however, with officials suggesting it’ll be weeks for the State Department to even decide on the visit. There is said to be considerable opposition to letting North Korean officials visit, since they don’t expect it will lead to an immediate, dramatic shift in North Korean policies to comply with US wishes.
If it’s true then unfortunately it comes at a time when the president is incapable of any real understanding of the situation. And it’s doubtful that Trump has anyone surrounding him who is capable of an intellectual meeting of the minds to deal with the n. Korea situation.
However, from a different POV, there’s a good possibility that China is able to pull N.Korea’s strings and is benefitting from N. Korea’s actions. It’s not hard to see it as being used as a bargaining chip by China.
That is probably an aspect of the situation that wouldn’t be appreciated by Americans because of they being the recipients of the problem.
A worthwhile discussion if anybody thinks they’re capable? I would propose that N. Korea could be made to be China’s Israel.
Of course the American attitude is that talks mean they tell their “enemy” what it has to do. There is no reason for the USA NOT to talk to North Korea, which wants agreements which will protect it from attack. This is normal behavior which the USA never wants to recognize-Russia is in the same position of being shoved and yet blamed for reacting to the encircling of its borders. Talk, negotiate, don’t just try to dominate and destroy-make America great as a peacemaker!!!!!
Yeah, we know that rosemary. But is it too much to expect that Americans could entertain the idea that China is using N. Korea in the same way the US is using Israel.
For example, the US uses Israel on the pretense of Israel running roughshod over the Palestinian people and supposedly mildly objecting to such behaviour. While in truth, the US and Israel are completely onside with what’s happening. Could China be involved in the same game with it’s proxy?
And on the nuclear issue, the US may have initially objected to Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons but has been silent on the issue for years. It’s an advantage the US recognzes very well. It’s the deterrent to war the Arab states fully understand.
Now take that kind of thinking to the N.Korea situation and imagine how it’s so much in China’s best interests to have it’s own proxy that is apparently misbehaving. And how concerned the US is over it all. What I’m saying is, if I was onside with China’s interests, I would be telling Kim to keep up the good work and that I have his back. Which is pretty much the case anyway.