The United States and North Korea are heading for a collision like “two accelerating trains with neither side willing to give way,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters Wednesday.
Tensions in East Asia have heightened considerably this week after North Korea’s launch of four ballistic missiles, and the arrival of the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) in South Korea.
China is vehemently opposed to THAAD, which Wang said is currently “the biggest issue affecting China-South Korean relations.”
A report in state news agency Xinhua reported that its deployment could kick off an “arms race” in the region. “More missile shields of one side inevitably bring more nuclear missiles of the opposing side that can break through the missile shield,” the article said, suggesting China could accelerate its nuclear program.
The US and South Korea could ease tensions in the region by suspending annual joint military exercise that antagonize North Korea, in exchange for Pyongyang halting its nuclear program, Wang said.
He suggested China’s role was to act as an early warning signal to avoid a potentially catastrophic collision on the Korea peninsula.
“(China’s) priority now is to flash the red light and to apply brakes on both trains,” he said.
US, North Korea can negotiate: Wang
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is going to Beijing for talks next week, which are likely to include how to defuse the situation in North Korea.
Euan Graham, director of the International Security Program at Sydney’s Lowy Institute, said he was “very skeptical” of Wang’s hopes for brokering a potential deal between North Korea and the US.
“To me, it speaks of a more tactical (statement) — China’s lost the initiative in the Korean Peninsula somewhat, not so much due to a proactive US policy to the region … but in the way that North Korea has been throwing its weight around,” he said.
Graham said the US would be skeptical as to how much control China actually had over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
“If China was truly opposed to the the nuclear program of North Korea … why wouldn’t it have acted in its own faith, rather than linking it to a set of (military) exercises?” he said.
China anxious over THAAD
Wang’s press conferences was held less than a day after the US military revealed the controversial THAAD missile defense system had arrived in South Korea.
Pictures released by the United States showed the first pieces of the ballistic missile defense technology being unloaded at Osan Air Base in South Korea Monday night.
The missile defense system is intended to counter North Korean aggression, according to the US military, but China is strongly opposing its deployment.
Beijing believes the missile system could be used to spy on their activities, rather than monitoring incoming North Korean missiles, Mark Tokola of the Korean Economic Institute of America said.
On Wednesday, Wang said South Korea must “cease and desist” the deployment, which he described as undermining Chinese security.
Already China has expressed its displeasure through placing bans on South Korean artists and celebrities, while there have been reports of unofficial sanctions against the country’s businesses.
Tillerson to visit China
Secretary Tillerson will touch down in Tokyo, Japan, on March 15 to begin his first east Asian tour since being sworn in. He’ll head to Seoul before making his final stop in Beijing on March 18.
He’ll be the second senior member of the Trump administration to tour East Asia since the new US president was inaugurated less than two months ago.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis already visited Japan and South Korea in early February, to reiterate US support for their two regional allies.
Wang said he had met Tillerson before, describing him as “a good listener and a good communicator.”
“I hope and believe we can establish a good working relationship,” he said.
Graham said the Trump administration’s focus has been on East Asia compared to the previous Obama administration’s broader engagement with southeast Asian countries.
“There was a genuine and concerted attempt to engage in bilateral relations (with) Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia … we don’t see that same level of enthusiasm or engagement from this administration,” he said.