China should do more to rein in North Korea

Widening sanctions by the United Nations and aggressive posturing by the United States seem to be having just the opposite effect on North Korea. Instead of defusing tension, these measures are encouraging the rogue nation to make major advances in its ballistic missile programme. It is conducting missile tests at a faster pace this year than at any point in its history. And so far, nothing has deterred it. One of the biggest impediments is a lack of a coherent action plan against the hermit kingdom. China, which has long been an economic lifeline for North Korea, has so far resisted taking strong action against it. It has blocked coal imports from the nation, but that’s not enough. In fact, China along with Russia has failed to enforce some sanctions the United Nations has sought to put in place. China’s own insecurity could be one of the reasons. It sees US THAAD in South Korea and US naval presence in regional waters as a threat to its own sovereignty. Chinese President Xi Jinping cannot possibly trust his US counterpart whose views on the country vacillate frequently. However, Donald Trump is right in condemning lack of action by the Chinese. Its support is emboldening the North. China needs to send a stern message to the Kim Jong-un regime, and stand by its allies. Pyongyang cannot hold the world to nuclear ransom.

Perhaps, military talks proposed by the South Korean President Moon Jae-in, could offer a probable way out of this logjam. Moon is rightly stressing the need to reopen dialogue. The Sunshine Policy of his predecessors could, after all, mend ways. Tensions are reaching a dangerous pitch as North Korea could soon have in its arsenal a reliable ICBM that could hit mainland US and nations far away. The world needs a united front with powers such as US, Russia, Japan, South Korea together, with China taking the lead role to denuclearise and rein in North Korea.