China Remains Silent on North Korea's Nuclear Weapon Legalization... Maintains Principle-Based Stance

"We will play a role in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," experts say "China's priority is to keep North Korea as a buffer state"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyunjung] As North Korea has newly legislated its policy of possessing nuclear weapons, clearly rejecting denuclearization talks, China remains silent without any particular reaction or response. Experts predict that China will continue to take a passive stance on the North Korean nuclear issue and will not intervene.

On the 13th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing experts, that China will maintain a quiet stance regarding North Korea's legalization of its nuclear weapons possession policy. Earlier, on the 8th, North Korea detailed in law 11 specific provisions regarding the mission and composition of its nuclear forces, as well as command and control, principles of use, and conditions for use. North Korea set conditions for nuclear weapon use including cases where nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction attacks have been carried out or are imminent, or when hostile forces have carried out or are about to carry out nuclear or non-nuclear attacks against the national leadership.

China, North Korea's main ally and trade partner, is currently observing the situation. On the 12th, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning maintained a principled stance, stating, "We will continue to play an active role in promoting a political solution to the Korean Peninsula issue in order to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula."

Professor Zhang Baohui of Lingnan University in Hong Kong explained, "China also prefers North Korea to ultimately denuclearize, but it will not try to apply additional pressure," adding, "China's position is that such pressure only escalates tensions on the Korean Peninsula." Professor Zhang also predicted that China would not agree even if the United States strengthens sanctions against North Korea.

China has long supported denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula but has been passive in imposing direct sanctions on North Korea. Hu Qiu Ping, senior researcher in international relations at the National University of Malaysia, said, "Over the next five years, we will face a difficult Korean Peninsula scenario without public access to North Korean society and high-level officials due to COVID-19," adding, "If there is no third party providing dialogue among stakeholders on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea will cooperate not only with China but also, in the long term, with Russia and others, continuing its nuclear weapons modernization and military buildup more threateningly than ever." Senior researcher Hu added, "China's priority is to maintain North Korea as a buffer state and support the North Korean regime to prevent social and systemic collapse."

This legalization of the nuclear weapons possession policy was made a day before the 74th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean regime (September 9). Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, reaffirming the friendship between the two countries and praising Chairman Kim's efforts for economic development and overcoming COVID-19.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.