US, China poles apart over North Korea

China's President Xi Jinping, left, meets U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Sunday. Tillerson met Xi just after a North Korean rocket engine test added new pressure on the big powers to address the threat from Pyongyang. / AFP-Yonhap

Washington plays hardball, Beijing seeks dialogue

By Yi Whan-woo

The United States and China failed to narrow their differences on how to deal with North Korea’s growing nuclear and ballistic missile threats during foreign ministerial talks in Beijing, Saturday.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed on the need to make “a course correction” with Pyongyang. But the top Chinese diplomat stressed dialogue with Pyongyang.

This was in stark contrast to Tillerson’s remarks made against North Korea during his trip to Seoul, Friday. He warned that talks with the North can only be possible if it gives up its weapons of mass destruction.

He also said all options are on the table, including a preemptive strike on Pyongyang, and that Washington’s policy of “strategic patience” toward Pyongyang is over.

For its part, North Korea is showing signs of preparing to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of targeting the U.S. mainland. Pyongyang’s state media reported a ground test of a new type of high-thrust rocket engine, Sunday, which was observed by its leader Kim Jong-un.

Analysts say tensions on the Korean Peninsula may escalate for the time being.

Regarding China’s role, Wang made clear Beijing’s opposition to taking greater responsibility to rein in North Korea’s nuclear program in line with Washington’s demand. He instead offered to open three-party talks with the U.S. and also to resume dormant six-party talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.

During a press conference after the foreign ministerial meeting, Wang also said he conveyed China’s principle and view to Tillerson over the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea.

The Chinese foreign minister added he takes the difference between the U.S. and China for granted, hinting that Beijing will remain unchanged in its opposition toward THAAD despite Washington’s assurance that it will only be used to deter Pyongyang’s ballistic missile attacks.

Taking a softer tone, Tillerson never mentioned THAAD before the press in Beijing, after asking China to “alter its position” in its retaliation against South Korea over THAAD deployment during his Seoul visit.

Against this backdrop, a summit between U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April could further raise the tensions on the Peninsula if they continue to disagree on North Korea policies, according to an analyst.

“The Trump administration still appears to be weighing China over North Korea-related issues, considering Tillerson took a moderate tone toward Beijing in his meeting with Wang,” said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University.

“The U.S. strategy on China is expected to take full shape depending on the outcome of the U.S.-China summit, and any move to press Beijing may raise security concerns on the peninsula.”

He said North Korea’s prolonged military provocations may add to such concerns as well, referring to Pyongyang’s ground test of a new type of high-thrust rocket engine, Saturday.

The test attended by Kim Jong-un was believed to show off its ballistic missile capability on the occasion of Tillerson’s trip to Asia.

According to Pyongyang’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency, Sunday, Kim called the test “a revolutionary breakthrough for the country’s space program” after it was conducted at the Sohae launch site. It took place to check on the new engine’s thrust power and gauge reliability of its control system and structural safety.