By Kang Seung-woo
China is expected to face greater pressure from the international community to curb North Korea as the latter gets ready to launch a satellite this month ― believed to be a cover for a ballistic missile test.
Beijing sent its top nuclear envoy to Pyongyang on Tuesday, but hours later it was known that the North plans to launch a rocket sometime between Feb. 8 and 25.
Analysts said that the Kim Jong-un regime is testing China's patience based on the belief that the Chinese government will not be able to join the international move to punish the North for its Jan. 6 nuclear test.
A U.S.-led push for the toughest-yet sanctions on the North are underway at the United Nations (U.N.), but China is apparently against going too far out of concern that strong sanctions could destabilize the country, which in turn could hurt Beijing's national interests.
"Wu Dawei visited Pyongyang on Tuesday to prevent the North from testing a long-range missile, but the North announced it would launch a satellite. It is an apparent slap in the face to China," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University. Wu is China's special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs. He met with his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim last week in Beijing and discussed the North Korea issues.
"China is more sensitive to the North's ballistic missile program than its nuclear program because the former can lead to the deployment of THAAD on the peninsula and furthermore South Korea's participation in the U.S.-led missile defense system to contain a rising China in the region."
Amid increasing nuclear and missile threats from the North, Seoul and Washington are moving toward deploying THAAD, or terminal high-altitude area defense, here. China opposes its presence, claiming it could threaten its security.
"Considering the deployment of THAAD in Korea, China will have no other choice but to join the U.N. sanctions this time," Park said.
Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, echoed Park's view.
"China may have felt insulted by the announcement, with Wu visiting Pyongyang. In addition, the range of dates for the launch overlaps with the Chinese New Year holidays, the nation's biggest festival from Feb. 7 to 13, again following its third nuclear test on Feb. 13, 2013," he said.
"This time, the Chinese government is expected to take strong measures against the North."
Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow of the Sejong Institute, said that should the repressive state fire a long-range missile despite its major ally's opposition, China may impose harsh sanctions for a certain period of time as it did in 2013 following the third nuclear test.
"For example, the Chinese government could tighten its customs clearance at its major trade route between the Dandong and Sinuiju route, strengthen requirements for visa issuance to North Koreans or limit the emigration of North Korean laborers to China," he said.
China is expected to face greater pressure from the international community to curb North Korea as the latter gets ready to launch a satellite this month ― believed to be a cover for a ballistic missile test.
Beijing sent its top nuclear envoy to Pyongyang on Tuesday, but hours later it was known that the North plans to launch a rocket sometime between Feb. 8 and 25.
Analysts said that the Kim Jong-un regime is testing China's patience based on the belief that the Chinese government will not be able to join the international move to punish the North for its Jan. 6 nuclear test.
A U.S.-led push for the toughest-yet sanctions on the North are underway at the United Nations (U.N.), but China is apparently against going too far out of concern that strong sanctions could destabilize the country, which in turn could hurt Beijing's national interests.
"Wu Dawei visited Pyongyang on Tuesday to prevent the North from testing a long-range missile, but the North announced it would launch a satellite. It is an apparent slap in the face to China," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University. Wu is China's special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs. He met with his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim last week in Beijing and discussed the North Korea issues.
"China is more sensitive to the North's ballistic missile program than its nuclear program because the former can lead to the deployment of THAAD on the peninsula and furthermore South Korea's participation in the U.S.-led missile defense system to contain a rising China in the region."
Amid increasing nuclear and missile threats from the North, Seoul and Washington are moving toward deploying THAAD, or terminal high-altitude area defense, here. China opposes its presence, claiming it could threaten its security.
"Considering the deployment of THAAD in Korea, China will have no other choice but to join the U.N. sanctions this time," Park said.
Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, echoed Park's view.
"China may have felt insulted by the announcement, with Wu visiting Pyongyang. In addition, the range of dates for the launch overlaps with the Chinese New Year holidays, the nation's biggest festival from Feb. 7 to 13, again following its third nuclear test on Feb. 13, 2013," he said.
"This time, the Chinese government is expected to take strong measures against the North."
Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow of the Sejong Institute, said that should the repressive state fire a long-range missile despite its major ally's opposition, China may impose harsh sanctions for a certain period of time as it did in 2013 following the third nuclear test.
"For example, the Chinese government could tighten its customs clearance at its major trade route between the Dandong and Sinuiju route, strengthen requirements for visa issuance to North Koreans or limit the emigration of North Korean laborers to China," he said.
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