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| China Struggles for Balance in Response to North Korea’s Boldness | China Struggles for Balance in Response to North Korea’s Boldness |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BEIJING — When the veteran Chinese diplomat Wu Dawei left for North Korea last week, he most likely knew he had been dispatched on mission impossible: to persuade the country’s young leader, Kim Jong-un, to climb down from his threat to launch a rocket as part of his quest to develop ballistic missile technologies. | BEIJING — When the veteran Chinese diplomat Wu Dawei left for North Korea last week, he most likely knew he had been dispatched on mission impossible: to persuade the country’s young leader, Kim Jong-un, to climb down from his threat to launch a rocket as part of his quest to develop ballistic missile technologies. |
| Not only did Mr. Kim ignore China’s entreaties, sending Mr. Wu home empty-handed. He did so emphatically, ordering the launch a day earlier than expected so that it fell on one of China’s most hallowed holidays, the eve of the Lunar New Year. | Not only did Mr. Kim ignore China’s entreaties, sending Mr. Wu home empty-handed. He did so emphatically, ordering the launch a day earlier than expected so that it fell on one of China’s most hallowed holidays, the eve of the Lunar New Year. |
| It is unclear how long President Xi Jinping of China will tolerate what some analysts here are calling the humiliation of his country at the hands of a capricious Mr. Kim. But there are no immediate signs that Beijing will radically change course and turn away from its traditional ally. | It is unclear how long President Xi Jinping of China will tolerate what some analysts here are calling the humiliation of his country at the hands of a capricious Mr. Kim. But there are no immediate signs that Beijing will radically change course and turn away from its traditional ally. |
| “It’s a bad result, it’s a humiliation,” said Cheng Xiaohe, an associate professor of international relations at Renmin University. “I think Kim Jong-un made many mistakes, and this is one of his major mistakes.” Even so, he added, “it’s hard to say what different approach China will take.” | “It’s a bad result, it’s a humiliation,” said Cheng Xiaohe, an associate professor of international relations at Renmin University. “I think Kim Jong-un made many mistakes, and this is one of his major mistakes.” Even so, he added, “it’s hard to say what different approach China will take.” |
| The United Nations Security Council, at an emergency meeting Sunday requested by the United States and Japan, issued a statement signaling its intention to stiffen penalties against North Korea but did not say how or when it would do so. A draft resolution is under negotiation, diplomats said. The key is what China will allow in terms of tightening or broadening sanctions. | The United Nations Security Council, at an emergency meeting Sunday requested by the United States and Japan, issued a statement signaling its intention to stiffen penalties against North Korea but did not say how or when it would do so. A draft resolution is under negotiation, diplomats said. The key is what China will allow in terms of tightening or broadening sanctions. |
| The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed “regret” at the launch hours after it happened and counseled calm and cautious action, a tone that drew immediate ridicule among users of the Chinese social media site, Weibo. | The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed “regret” at the launch hours after it happened and counseled calm and cautious action, a tone that drew immediate ridicule among users of the Chinese social media site, Weibo. |
| In contrast to calls from South Korea, Japan and the United States on Sunday for tougher sanctions against North Korea, China said early dialogue — meaning the resumption of talks among major powers and North Korea — was its preferred way to rein in Mr. Kim. Those negotiations, led by China and known as the six-party talks, fell apart in 2009 after North Korea walked out. | In contrast to calls from South Korea, Japan and the United States on Sunday for tougher sanctions against North Korea, China said early dialogue — meaning the resumption of talks among major powers and North Korea — was its preferred way to rein in Mr. Kim. Those negotiations, led by China and known as the six-party talks, fell apart in 2009 after North Korea walked out. |
| In response to the Foreign Ministry’s statement, one person on Weibo said: “I feel ‘regret’ for the Foreign Ministry.” | In response to the Foreign Ministry’s statement, one person on Weibo said: “I feel ‘regret’ for the Foreign Ministry.” |
| Another user said: “I have been racking my head but I simply can’t figure out why we have to offend everybody in the world to defend a rogue regime.” | Another user said: “I have been racking my head but I simply can’t figure out why we have to offend everybody in the world to defend a rogue regime.” |
| Popular sentiment in China, where Mr. Kim has been maligned online as an overweight, bumptious neophyte, runs against the government’s public patience with the North Korean leader. | |
| In a poll on Weibo conducted Friday and Saturday, 66 percent of 8,000 respondents said they supported a strike by the United States to wipe out North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Eighteen percent of those interviewed said they were against such a strike, and 16 percent said they were neutral. | In a poll on Weibo conducted Friday and Saturday, 66 percent of 8,000 respondents said they supported a strike by the United States to wipe out North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Eighteen percent of those interviewed said they were against such a strike, and 16 percent said they were neutral. |
| In a telling signal of official disapproval of the results, Chinese censors had deleted the poll by Sunday afternoon. | In a telling signal of official disapproval of the results, Chinese censors had deleted the poll by Sunday afternoon. |
| Despite its frustration with Mr. Kim and frosty personal relations — Mr. Xi has refused to meet with Mr. Kim — China is likely to continue putting up with his behavior, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University. | Despite its frustration with Mr. Kim and frosty personal relations — Mr. Xi has refused to meet with Mr. Kim — China is likely to continue putting up with his behavior, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University. |
| China was afraid of turning its recalcitrant ally into a worrisome enemy, he said. | China was afraid of turning its recalcitrant ally into a worrisome enemy, he said. |
| The government has opposed severe sanctions aimed at curtailing the amount of oil that China exports to North Korea and at stopping imports of mineral resources. So far, China has only supported sanctions that limit the transfer or sale of military equipment or other items that would help North Korea’s weapons program. | The government has opposed severe sanctions aimed at curtailing the amount of oil that China exports to North Korea and at stopping imports of mineral resources. So far, China has only supported sanctions that limit the transfer or sale of military equipment or other items that would help North Korea’s weapons program. |
| “China thinks more severe sanctions will reduce China’s influence in North Korea,” Mr. Shi said. | “China thinks more severe sanctions will reduce China’s influence in North Korea,” Mr. Shi said. |
| Most importantly, China was afraid that hammering North Korea with heavy sanctions would turn its neighbor into a hostile country that could “take action” against Beijing, Mr. Shi said. | Most importantly, China was afraid that hammering North Korea with heavy sanctions would turn its neighbor into a hostile country that could “take action” against Beijing, Mr. Shi said. |
| Mr. Xi had made the calculation that Mr. Kim, the third member of the Kim dynasty to rule North Korea, would be an enduring figure, and he sent Liu Yunshan, a member of the powerful standing committee of the Communist Party, to a military parade in Pyongyang last October to make a kind of rapprochement, Mr. Shi said. | Mr. Xi had made the calculation that Mr. Kim, the third member of the Kim dynasty to rule North Korea, would be an enduring figure, and he sent Liu Yunshan, a member of the powerful standing committee of the Communist Party, to a military parade in Pyongyang last October to make a kind of rapprochement, Mr. Shi said. |
| China even appeared to be willing to risk its budding relationship with South Korea, an ally of the United States, by putting up with North Korea’s bad behavior. | China even appeared to be willing to risk its budding relationship with South Korea, an ally of the United States, by putting up with North Korea’s bad behavior. |
| The rocket launch on Sunday, which came after a fourth nuclear test by the North Koreans in early January, showed that China’s goal of maintaining good relationships with both North Korea and South Korea was an extremely difficult balancing act, Mr. Cheng said. | The rocket launch on Sunday, which came after a fourth nuclear test by the North Koreans in early January, showed that China’s goal of maintaining good relationships with both North Korea and South Korea was an extremely difficult balancing act, Mr. Cheng said. |
| Mr. Xi has gone out of his way to court the South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, by stressing the strong economic relationship between the two countries. China is South Korea’s biggest trading partner, and Ms. Park raised eyebrows among Washington officials last September by turning up at a huge military parade on Tiananmen Square in Beijing that was boycotted by Western leaders. | Mr. Xi has gone out of his way to court the South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, by stressing the strong economic relationship between the two countries. China is South Korea’s biggest trading partner, and Ms. Park raised eyebrows among Washington officials last September by turning up at a huge military parade on Tiananmen Square in Beijing that was boycotted by Western leaders. |
| In a move sure to displease China, South Korea’s defense department said hours after the launch Sunday that it would start formal discussions with the United States about the deployment of a missile defense system known as Thaad, for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. | In a move sure to displease China, South Korea’s defense department said hours after the launch Sunday that it would start formal discussions with the United States about the deployment of a missile defense system known as Thaad, for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. |
| China has vigorously opposed the deployment of the system, arguing that it would be used by the United States to interfere with China’s defenses and as a tool to contain China. | China has vigorously opposed the deployment of the system, arguing that it would be used by the United States to interfere with China’s defenses and as a tool to contain China. |
| President Obama and Mr. Xi spoke by telephone Friday about the need for unified action regarding sanctions at the United Nations, the White House said. | President Obama and Mr. Xi spoke by telephone Friday about the need for unified action regarding sanctions at the United Nations, the White House said. |
| But the agreement between the two leaders made in California in 2013 to cooperate on finding a solution to the North Korea dilemma appears to have evaporated. | |
| When Secretary of State John Kerry held more than four hours of talks with the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, last month in Beijing, there was little enthusiasm for more targeted sanctions by the Chinese, even though both sides knew that a rocket launch was likely to happen, American officials said. | When Secretary of State John Kerry held more than four hours of talks with the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, last month in Beijing, there was little enthusiasm for more targeted sanctions by the Chinese, even though both sides knew that a rocket launch was likely to happen, American officials said. |
| “The general relationship between the United States and China is far from good, and I don’t think the U.S. has any real bargaining chips with China over North Korea,” Mr. Shi said. “The vital interest of the United States is to reduce the nuclear weapons, and the vital interest of China is to keep a minimum degree of stability and to keep North Korea a friend.” | “The general relationship between the United States and China is far from good, and I don’t think the U.S. has any real bargaining chips with China over North Korea,” Mr. Shi said. “The vital interest of the United States is to reduce the nuclear weapons, and the vital interest of China is to keep a minimum degree of stability and to keep North Korea a friend.” |