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DPRK’s leader Kim Jong Un made a surprise trip to Beijing to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping in the last few days.
Despite the secretive nature of the meeting and the fact the visit was only confirmed after the talks were over, the meeting followed formal protocol, including scenes with both leaders and their wives.
There was no doubt left that Kim was not treated as the representative of a criminal and dangerous country about to launch nuclear weapons, but rather as a state leader who deserved to be heard and treated with respect. Assigning Kim and his wife Room 18 of the Diaoyutai - the State Guesthouse - spoke volumes.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R), his wife Peng Liyuan (1st R) and DPRK Leader Kim Jong Un (2nd L) and his wife Ri Sol Ju (1st L) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. At the invitation of Xi, Kim paid an unofficial visit to China from March 25 to 28. 2018 /Xinhua Photo
Xi was making it clear that the US-led drive to cast the DPRK as a pariah state, about which CNN is shouting every day is about to launch nuclear weapons, to force a consensus in the United Nations security council to support ever harsher sanctions, was no longer going to be acceptable.
We may never know exactly what the two leaders discussed concerning the upcoming DPRK-ROK summit, or what they plan in response to the demands from the Trump administration for unconditional denuclearization without any promise of a peace treaty or similar disarmament agreement on the US side.
But we can be sure that there were two clear themes in the talks surrounding Kim’s first foreign trip since taking over the leadership of the DPRK: One is a growing sense of crisis concerning America's irresponsible actions, and the other is a consensus on the need for Asians to resolve the DPRK problem on their own without any interference from the increasingly bellicose Trump administration, and a Democratic Party that has not opposed the aggressive actions of Trump but instead has chosen to focus their attention in criticizing him for not being more aggressive towards Russia.
US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn towards the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, D.C., US, on Wednesday, March 14, 2018./VCG Photo
The Trump administration has only had contempt for international law, diplomacy and treaties, as shown in their concerted efforts to undermine and attack the Iran nuclear agreement and their pulling out of the Paris Accord in response to the demands of super-rich funders like the Koch brothers.
And things look set to get even worse, the new group surrounding Trump - a man with no experience in diplomacy or security - such as Mike Pompeo at the CIA and John Bolton as national security adviser, suggests far more dangerous policy positions on global issues.
The Xi-Kim meeting was immediately followed by the announcement by the DPRK that a delegation led by Ri Son Gwon, the head of DPRK's state agency in charge of North-South relations, Jon Jong Su, vice chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, and Kim Myong Il would meet with Republic of Korea (ROK) counterparts regarding the upcoming DPRK-ROK summit.
This meeting, scheduled to take place as I write on Thursday March 29, should set the agenda for the April summit meeting between ROK President Moon Jae-in and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.
There is a notable change in the nature of the discussions between the DPRK and China. Whereas previously discussions between Beijing and Pyongyang, and between Seoul and Pyongyang, had been marked by delays and setbacks, now discussions go forward like clockwork.
Whereas the visit of President Xi Jinping to Seoul to affirm a major upgrade in relations during Park Geun-hye administration was seen as slap in the face to a stubborn and self-centered Pyongyang, now Kim Jong Un is being treated as an important member of the regional community.
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with DPRK Leader Kim Jong Un at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. At the invitation of Xi, Kim paid an unofficial visit to China from March 25 to 28, 2018 /Xinhua Photo
The visit of Kim Jong Un to Beijing’s IT cluster Zhongguancun also spoke volumes about the evolving role of China in East Asia. The solution to the problem of the DPRK has been clearly identified by Xi as dependent on the DPRKs economic expansion and improvements in technology and infrastructure, which is buckling under to UN sanctions.
Xi affirmed that high-level exchanges were essential to future relations, stating that:-
“We are ready to make joint efforts with the DPRK side, conform to the trend of the times, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, continuously improve the wellbeing of the two peoples, and make positive contribution to regional peace, stability and development.”
The stage was set for China to play a central role in ensuring regional peace and coordinating a move towards economic integration between the two Koreas and both China and Russia.
But all this comes at the very moment that the United States is insisting on stricter sanctions on the DPRK and unconditional disarmament. How China and the ROK will handle that problem is not clear.
Yet the confidence with which Xi pursued the meeting with Kim in Beijing suggests that China feels that it is in control and that whatever risks are posed by the far-right administration of Donald Trump, there is plenty of space for reasonable people to pursue rational plans.
What we can be sure of is that changes can no longer proceed at the speed of a glacier. Fundamental changes will be necessary in the order in East Asia and they will take place whether Trump is ready or not.
(CGTN)
