Wang Yiwei of Renmin University says joint North Korea-China statement opposing Japanese neo-militarism is possible

Commuters at a Seoul subway station watch a television screen showing images of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. [AP]
Commuters at a Seoul subway station watch a television screen showing images of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. [AP]

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's first visit to North Korea in seven years, a Chinese expert said the upcoming summit talks between the two countries are likely to focus on Northeast Asian security and regional denuclearization rather than North Korea's nuclear program alone.

Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of International Studies, said in an interview with AP Television News on Friday that "China is now paying more attention to the denuclearization of all of Northeast Asia, not just the Korean Peninsula."

"There are discussions about nuclear-powered submarines in South Korea, and Japan is even more dangerous," Wang said. "Japan has claimed it can produce thousands of nuclear warheads at any time."

He also criticized Japan for failing to squarely confront its history, saying Tokyo has not adequately apologized for its aggression during World War II.

Wang said the security environment in Northeast Asia could change dramatically if Japan crosses the red line of its three non-nuclear principles — not possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons.

"If that happens, North Korea and China will emphasize denuclearization not just of the Korean Peninsula but of all of Northeast Asia," he said.

Wang also said Japan is already pushing to rearm, and that Western countries want Japan to expand its weapons and ammunition production to support the wars in Ukraine and Iran.

"Japan is seizing an opportunity to rearm, and this is an important move that changes the international order established after World War II," he said, adding that a joint North Korea-China statement opposing neo-militarism and calling for the preservation of the postwar order was a possibility.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said Xi is scheduled to make a state visit to North Korea on Monday and Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern.

Wang said Xi's visit underscores the importance of the North Korea-China relationship, noting that while leaders of UN Security Council permanent members and many other countries — including South Korea — had visited China this year, Xi chose North Korea as his first overseas destination of the year.

On the growing closeness between North Korea and Russia, Wang said he views the North Korea-Russia relationship as more special in military terms, with the two sides able to exchange more weapons and intelligence. Still, he said, China remains very important to North Korea in terms of energy and trade, given that the two countries share a border.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com