Sino-US Diplomacy and Security Talks

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

On Wednesday, Rex Tillerson and James Mattis hosted China's foreign policy chief Yang Jiechi and People's Liberation Army's joint staff department chief General Fang Fenghui in Washington.

Talks focused heavily on on halting Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. 

Tillerson told reporters that Washington is committed to holding the DPRK accountable for violating Security Council resolutions - "explicitly prohibit(ing) its nuclear weapons and missile program," adding:

"We both agreed that our companies should not do business with any UN-designated North Korean entities in accordance with these resolutions." 

Precisely what this means in light of longstanding Sino-Pyongyang relations is unclear. Beijing rules out actions risking greater DPRK destabilization than already.

Tillerson lied calling the North Korea the "most acute threat in the region today" - a dubious distinction applying to America worldwide, more than any other nation by far. 

Throughout its history, North Korea never attacked another country. Washington is a serial aggressor - always at war with one or more nations threatening no one.

Tillerson: "We reiterated to China that they have a diplomatic responsibility to exert much greater economic and diplomatic pressure on the regime if they want to prevent further escalation in the region."

Mattis belligerently said Pyongyang is "beyond any kind of understanding of law and order and humanity" - showing America intends maintaining continued hostile relations. 

Korean peninsula brinksmanship remains official US policy - ruling out constructive engagement and dialogue with Pyongyang, the only way to resolve differences between both countries.

China opposes confronting the DPRK belligerently. It supports  denuclearizing the Korean peninsula through through constructive diplomacy, dialogue and compromise.

According to Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies China Power Project director Bonnie Glaser, "(f)rustration is growing in the (Trump) administration that China is not (doing) enough in" confronting North Korea.

Commenting on Wednesday discussions, China's Global Times (GT) said "Beijing's influence on Pyongyang is not enough to solve the" North Korea issue. 

Constructive US engagement is needed, an olive branch Washington refuses to extend. "It is absurd to expect China to solve…longstanding" differences between America and North Korea.

Without respecting issues vital to both sides, resolving things diplomatically is unattainable.

"The argument that China must be responsible for Pyongyang's nuclear and missile activity is a trap for the Sino-US relationship," GT explained, adding: 

"We hope Trump and his team are wise enough to avoid this trap."

Given nearly seven decades of US hostility toward North Korea, it's virtually inconceivable to believe Washington will turn a constructive leaf now - especially with administration and congressional neocons influencing foreign policy.

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