Park's China-first foreign policy falling down
Beijing sticks to fence-sitting over NK nuclear issue
By Kang Seung-woo
Park Geun-hye
Xi Jinping
China’s reaction to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test shows that Beijing will never act with the rest of the international community to punish Pyongyang, analysts said Monday.
They said that President Park Geun-hye’s foreign policy ― centered on improving relations with China in the belief that it will work to achieve balance regarding issues related to the Korean Peninsula ― appears to be collapsing.
Seoul wants Beijing to rein in the North’s nuclear weapons drive in line with the international community, but China is staying away from this.
China’s “non-cooperative attitude” seems to be a major blow to Park’s China-first policy, which critics have said is hurting the ROK-U.S. alliance, which has been the lynchpin of the security in Northeast Asia.
As of Monday, Park has yet to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the phone about the North Korean issue ― in sharp contrast to Park’s phone conversations with U.S President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held one day after the nuclear test.
During these conversations, all participants agreed to work together for stronger sanctions to be imposed against the North.
In addition, the two nations’ Foreign Ministers Yun Byung-se and Wang Yi talked on the phone for 70 minutes on Friday night, but expressed clear differences on how to deal with the claimed hydrogen bomb test.
Yun urged China to “sternly punish” North Korea for carrying out the nuclear test, but Wang repeated China’s long-standing position regarding the North Korean nuclear issue.
The foreign ministry issued a press release three hours after the phone conversation took place.
“It took much time when we discussed with China what to include in the press release,” said a government official, hinting that there were disagreements on countermeasures to pursue against the North.
In addition, a hotline conversation between the two nations’ top defense officials has yet to take place due to China’s rejection of such a proposal. The military hotline was established on Dec. 31 to reinforce their cooperation on security issues on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.
Since taking office in February 2013, Park has worked hard to improve the bilateral ties given that China is the only country that can exert influence on the North ― even despite U.S. concerns about the South leaning toward Beijing. Even, she attended the China’s ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in September despite U.S. opposition.
Diplomatic experts say that the government has interpreted China’s lip service to its own advantage.
“Should China do nothing more than what it has talked about regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, the Park administration’s foreign policy with China will be a failure,” said Chun Yung-woo, who served as senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and security under the Lee Myung-bak administration.
Through six summits with Park, Xi has repeated the Chinese position that it is firmly opposed to the North’s nuclear tests, stressing the need for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
A diplomatic source said, “Through the summits, Park’s efforts to improve the Sino-South Korea ties ended up advancing personal relations between the two heads of state without developing into national-level strategic talks.”
Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, advised the government to send a clear warning message to China by taking stricter security measures against the North.
“By launching a trilateral cooperation between the United States, Japan and the South or deploying the THAAD here, we need to alert China to rein in the North’s nuclear weapons drive,” Choi said.
The Chinese government is reluctant to cooperate with the U.S.-led three-way alliance because it is aimed at containing a rising China in the region and the North serves as a buffer zone and strategic asset against the U.S. “pivot to Asia” policy.
THAAD represents the terminal high-altitude area defense and China opposes its deployment on Korean soil, claiming that the U.S. missile interceptor could be used to nullify its military strike capabilities.
Amid growing questions on the South Korea-China ties, Cheong Wa Dae said the government is seeking various ways with China to jointly deal with the North’s nuclear test.
Park to speak to nation Wednesday
Meanwhile, President Park will speak to the nation on Wednesday morning amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following last week’s nuclear test, Cheong Wa Dae said on Monday.
Presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk said that Park will deliver a statement to the nation and hold a news conference at the presidential office.
Park’s message is expected to focus on the North’s latest military provocation and be used to repeat her call for the National Assembly to swiftly pass pending bills related to economic revitalization and labor reform.