China welcomes U.S. saying it is open to talks on North Korea

[webfact]

China welcomes U.S. saying it is open to talks on North Korea

By Michael Martina and Ju-min Park

REUTERS

 

   

A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) made available on April 26, 2017. KCNA/Handout via REUTERS

 

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - China on Thursday welcomed an apparently softer tone by the United States on the North Korean nuclear and missile crisis but stressed its opposition to a U.S. missile defence system being deployed in South Korea.

 

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on North Korea and other countries on Thursday to avoid behaviour or rhetoric that could increase tensions around Pyongyang's nuclear programme. Speaking at a news conference in Moscow after talks, the two leaders said they had agreed to cooperate closely to try to help defuse tensions around North Korea.

 

China has long promoted dialogue to resolve the Korean nuclear issue as North Korea has repeatedly threatened to destroy the United States. Washington has in turn warned that "all options are on the table" in ending North Korean provocations.

 

North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is a major security challenge confronting President Donald Trump, who has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile, a capability experts say Pyongyang could have some time after 2020.

 

Trump's administration said on Wednesday it aimed to push North Korea into dismantling its nuclear and missile programmes, which are in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, through tougher international sanctions and diplomatic pressure.

 

"The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies," said a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other senior officials.

 

Asked about the U.S. comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China had noted that many U.S. officials had recently made such remarks.

 

"We have noted these expressions, and have noted the message conveyed in these expressions hoping to resolve the Korean nuclear issue peacefully through dialogue and consultation," he said. "We believe this message is positive and should be affirmed."

 

South Korea and the United States agreed on Thursday on "swift punitive measures" against North Korea in the event of further provocation. The South also said the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile defence system was moving ahead effectively a day after angry protests by local residents against the battery and amid fierce opposition from China.

 

South Korea on Wednesday moved parts of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to its deployment site on a golf course about 250 km (155 miles) south of the capital, Seoul, signalling faster installation.

 

Several hundred villagers protested, hurling water bottles at vehicles moving the parts in.

 

CHINA AGAIN DENOUNCES THAAD

 

The top U.S. Commander in the Pacific, Admiral Harry Harris, said on Wednesday the THAAD system would be operational "in coming days," bolstering the ability to defend the U.S. ally and the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed there.

 

A photograph of the site showed a THAAD interceptor on a mobile launcher erected and pointed skywards on a green lawn as a military transport helicopter hovered nearby.

 

China says the system's advanced radar can penetrate deep into its territory and undermine its security. It is adamant in its opposition.

 

"The deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea damages the regional strategic balance and stability. The Chinese side is resolutely opposed to this," Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told reporters.

 

"China’s military will continue to carry out live-fire military exercises and test new military equipment in order to firmly safeguard national security and regional peace and stability."

 

Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said on Thursday the U.S. policy was to exert maximum pressure on North Korea through sanctions and diplomatic activity “as frankly a last best way of seeing whether we can get a peaceful resolution to this problem”.

 

The first step of this process was to ensure that all countries were "fastidiously implementing" existing sanctions, something that would be stressed by Tillerson in a meeting he will chair with U.N Security Council foreign ministers on Friday, she told a think tank event in Washington.

 

The United States would pursue “pressure and engagement” against "anyone in the international community with ties with North Korea," Thornton said, but the focus would be on China, given that 90 percent of North Korea’s trade is with that country.

 

Harris, testifying in Congress, said on Thursday the United States was seeing "more positive, proactive activity" than ever before by China but that it was too early to tell whether it would be enough to cause Pyongyang to curb its missile and nuclear programs, but added: "I wouldn't bet my farm on it."

 

NORTH KOREA CONDEMNS 'HOSTILE ACTS'

 

The U.S. signal of a willingness to exhaust non-military avenues came as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group approached Korean waters, where it will join the nuclear submarine USS Michigan.

 

North Korea, which on Tuesday conducted its biggest ever artillery exercise to mark the 85th anniversary of its military's creation, says it needs to develop weapons to defend itself from U.S. aggression.

 

A North Korean official speaking on CNN said the country would not be influenced by outside events.

 

"As long as America continues its hostile acts of aggression, we will never stop nuclear and missile tests," said Sok Chol Won, director of the North's Institute of Human Rights at the Academy of Social Sciences.

 

Moon Jae-in, the front-runner in South Korea's May 9 presidential election, has called for a delay in THAAD deployment, saying a decision should be made after gathering public opinion and more talks with Washington.

 

(For a graphic on North Korea's show of force, click - http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/NORTHKOREA-USA-PARADES/010040R41MB/images/fade.png)

 

(Additional reporting by Phil Stewart, David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick in Washington and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Jack Kim, Nick Macfie and Frances Kerry; Editing by Robert Birsel and James Dalgleish)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-28

[boomerangutang]

from the OP :

 North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is a major security challenge confronting President Donald Trump, who has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile, a capability experts say Pyongyang could have some time after 2020.

 

The key word in the paragraph, above, is the verb 'vowed'

 

               Trump's veracity quotient is zero.  Same for Tillerson and the rest of the nitwits surrounding Trump.  It's rather sad, really.  It's like a man being labelled a pedophile.  Once he gets that label, it's very hard to shake it off.  Similarly, Trump will probably never shake off the label of 'liar' that he's so ignominiously earned over the past years.

[citybiker]

Well in the past hour it appears Trump's more diplomatic terminology has prevailed.

China has stated that it will impose sanctions if NK attempt a 6th missile test.

Source: BBC world news.


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[cocorico2558]

Thanks god we have China otherwise the war hungry US would do another war overseas. Unfortunately human beings only learn from direct experiences and the US had for centuries no direct experience what war really means.

[ilostmypassword]

2 hours ago, citybiker said:

Well in the past hour it appears Trump's more diplomatic terminology has prevailed.

China has stated that it will impose sanctions if NK attempt a 6th missile test.

Source: BBC world news.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I went to the BBC site which said that's what Rex Tillerson reported that the Chinese said they will do.

"US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said China has told the US it will impose sanctions on North Korea if it conducts further nuclear tests."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39741671

I couldn't find anything else.

[kevkev1888]

2 hours ago, citybiker said:

Well in the past hour it appears Trump's more diplomatic terminology has prevailed.

China has stated that it will impose sanctions if NK attempt a 6th missile test.

Source: BBC world news.

Great work from Trump there!

[kevkev1888]

6 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

I went to the BBC site which said that's what Rex Tillerson reported that the Chinese said they will do.

"US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said China has told the US it will impose sanctions on North Korea if it conducts further nuclear tests."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39741671

I couldn't find anything else.

I guess he could have just made it up? Wouldn't be very diplomatic though would it.

Plus they already did introduce some sanctions already.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-announces-sanctions-against-north-korea-a6969256.html

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on North Korea and other countries on Thursday to avoid behaviour or rhetoric that could increase tensions around Pyongyang's nuclear programme

Kim do your nuclear experiments quietly. Quit blowing your horn to the whole world. Rewind 10 years and the words are the same. BS

[dunroaming]

Slowly Trump is realising that China is the kingpin and everything in the region has to be done through them.  No more talking to Taiwan or openly criticising China.  He is learning that he cannot do what he wants to do without serious consequences and you don't go toe to toe with the Chinese on matters like this.

[uptheos]

I don't think Trump is slowly  realizing China's role, he's said all along that China needs to do more.

[dunroaming]

13 minutes ago, uptheos said:

I don't think Trump is slowly  realizing China's role, he's said all along that China needs to do more.

Trump is learning that it is China that calls the shots over North Korea whereas he just bloviates and makes empty threats.

[uptheos]

9 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Trump is learning that it is China that calls the shots over North Korea whereas he just bloviates and makes empty threats.

What sort of shots, can you give some examples?

[uptheos]

I'm doubtful fat boy will much of a threat once he sees what could be coming toward him from the USA. The previous president never had the balls to show Kim what he could face.

I doubt much of the artillery displayed are more than Chinese fakes. 

[55Jay]

Any updates out of NK?  Here's the latest propaganda set to rousing nationalistic theme music, sinking the Carl Vinson and nuking Washington DC.  Something about a path of dead bodies caused by death.  Reminds me of Saddam Hussein's chest thumping bluster right before he climbed into a rat hole to hide. 

 

Edited April 28, 2017 by 55Jay

[dunroaming]

The noise coming out of NK is the same as it has been for years.  It is banal hot air just the same as the noise coming from Washington.

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, uptheos said:

What sort of shots, can you give some examples?

You just have to look at how Trump has backed down over his rhetoric with China. They are now wonderful people according to Trump.  The Chinese are all powerful in Asia and Trump knows he must go along with what they say over NK.  He is still blustering away but it is just that.

[Ramen087]

55 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

You just have to look at how Trump has backed down over his rhetoric with China. They are now wonderful people according to Trump.  The Chinese are all powerful in Asia and Trump knows he must go along with what they say over NK.  He is still blustering away but it is just that.

In politics the only thing that is permanent is self-interest. When self interests align, another nation is your best pal. When the interests don't align...well, you know.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Ramen087

[ilostmypassword]

3 hours ago, uptheos said:

I'm doubtful fat boy will much of a threat once he sees what could be coming toward him from the USA. The previous president never had the balls to show Kim what he could face.

I doubt much of the artillery displayed are more than Chinese fakes. 

Another example of the  "law of fat boy".  Given the states of Tillerson et al, nobody except a few gullible Trump supporters believe that the US is going to do anything.  Especially not after the no-follow through of the Syria Tomahawk Missile yawnfest.

[kevkev1888]

1 hour ago, dunroaming said:

You just have to look at how Trump has backed down over his rhetoric with China. They are now wonderful people according to Trump.  The Chinese are all powerful in Asia and Trump knows he must go along with what they say over NK.  He is still blustering away but it is just that.

That is exactly how he has achieved their cooperation to this point.

Trumps tactics are to take extreme opening positions, gives more room for movement.

A very smart man. 

[ilostmypassword]

11 minutes ago, kevkev1888 said:

That is exactly how he has achieved their cooperation to this point.

Trumps tactics are to take extreme opening positions, gives more room for movement.

A very smart man. 

So all his talk about protecting American workers from the Chinese was just bluster.

[Los Luver]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

China welcomes U.S. saying it is open to talks on North Korea

as it did 100 times before and US did 100 times before. and if the situation stay as it is they will do the same 100 times in the future. Nothing is new, nothing new will happen as long as NK conducts the same politics and it is allied to China and Russia.....

keep calm and live your life....no worries at all

[Los Luver]

1 hour ago, kevkev1888 said:

That is exactly how he has achieved their cooperation to this point.

Trumps tactics are to take extreme opening positions, gives more room for movement.

A very smart man. 

As Reagan did and both Bushs and Clinton and Obama. nothing is new

[funandsuninbangkok]

3 hours ago, Los Luver said:

As Reagan did and both Bushs and Clinton and Obama. nothing is new

Trump is very different than Obama. Much more willing to take risks.

 

NK has a nuclear weapons program in violation of international law. He has threatened the US and its allies. He has an active intercontinental ballistic weapons program.

 

Bush killed Sadam for less. 

[Los Luver]

32 minutes ago, funandsuninbangkok said:

Trump is very different than Obama. Much more willing to take risks.

 

NK has a nuclear weapons program in violation of international law. He has threatened the US and its allies. He has an active intercontinental ballistic weapons program.

 

Bush killed Sadam for less. 

Bush........means Trump can kill Kim Jong-un !!!!

A simple strike from any side, will be a start of demolution of the world, included USA, just you know

thats why Trump or non-Trump or even anti-Trump would dare, the same in Kim Jong-un side

Edited April 28, 2017 by Los Luver

[Los Luver]

It seems for me that many people don't know what caused ww1 and ww2 !!!

a simple war between Bosnia and Austria turned to ww1

Edited April 28, 2017 by Los Luver

[citybiker]

NK at it again..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39750240


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[ilostmypassword]

On 4/28/2017 at 10:30 AM, kevkev1888 said:

Great work from Trump there!

Jumping the gun?

NK at it again..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39750240
 

Edited April 29, 2017 by ilostmypassword

[funandsuninbangkok]

14 hours ago, citybiker said:

NK at it again..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39750240


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Test failed

 

better to take them out now, before they get the bugs worked out

[citybiker]

Test failed
 
better to take them out now, before they get the bugs worked out

I think Rex & Trump may have slightly different (personal) viewpoints on how to deal with NK however China is clearly the US best proxy neighbour in dealing with NK, military force alone 'will not' work in that region and I admire and like Rex's diplomatic terminology approach.

Kim Jun-Un is not insane, if he was then the situation would be much more serious than it currently is.


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[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been removed.