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Seeking China’s Help on Korea, Kerry Makes Arms Overture Seeking China’s Help on Korea, Kerry Makes Arms Overture
(about 3 hours later)
BEIJING — Secretary of State John Kerry flew to China on Saturday and offered a concession on missile defense meant to elicit China’s help in dealing with an increasingly recalcitrant and nuclear armed North Korea. BEIJING — Secretary of State John Kerry flew to China on Saturday and sought to elicit China’s help in dealing with an increasingly recalcitrant nuclear armed North Korea by saying that American missile defenses could be cut back if the North abandoned its nuclear program.
In a news conference following meetings with China’s top leaders, Mr. Kerry said that the United States would reduce its missile defenses in Asia if North Korea abandons its nuclear weapons program. Mr. Kerry’s trip to China, his first since taking office, is part of an intensive three-day push to try to calm tensions on the Korean Peninsula that have threatened to spiral out of control and rattled world leaders.
Mr. Kerry’s overture appeared aimed at addressing Chinese concerns that North Korea’s provocative actions were leading the United States to build up military strength in the region as China is boosting its own influence there. In a news conference, Mr. Kerry suggested that the United States could remove newly enhanced missile defenses if North Korea abandons its nuclear arms program. The move would address Chinese concerns about the latest buildup of American weapons systems in the region.
“On missile defense, we discussed absolutely why we have taken the steps that we have taken,” Mr. Kerry said, referring to efforts the United States is taking to defend Guam, Hawaii and the United States’ allies in Asia against a potential North Korean missile attack. The United States has dispatched two ships capable of missile defense and said it will speed up land-based missile defenses for Guam. After back-to-back meetings between Mr. Kerry and China’s top leaders, the two countries announced that they endorsed the principle of ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons, though China did not state publicly what steps it might take to achieve that goal after years of reluctance to crack down on Pyongyang.
“Now obviously if the threat disappears — i.e. North Korea denuclearizes — the same imperative does not exist at that point of time for us to have that kind of robust forward leaning posture of defense,” he added. “And it would be our hope in the long run, or better yet in short run, that we can address that.” “We also joined together in calling on North Korea to refrain from provocations and to abide by international obligations,” Mr. Kerry said.
Mr. Kerry’s offer to cut back on the newly fortified missile defenses appeared to be part of a diplomatic strategy to get China, the North’s only true ally, to do what it has long resisted — to crack down hard enough on Pyongyang that its leaders will give up an increasingly sophisticated nuclear program. Worries spiked last week as the South Koreans predicted the North could launch a new missile test any day and after the disclosure that an American intelligence agency concluded for the first time with “moderate confidence” that North Korea had the capability to fit a nuclear warhead on a missile. The administration has since said that it was premature to conclude that Pyongyang had a fully tested weapons system.
In the past, China has worried that any move to destabilize the North would lead to a collapse of the regime and deliver the entire peninsula to the United States’ sphere of influence, possibly bringing American troops in South Korea closer to its border. The United States offer to cut back on newly fortified missile defenses appeared to be part of a new diplomatic strategy to get China, the only country presumed to have any real influence over North Korea, to do what it has long resisted — crack down hard enough on North Korea that its leaders will give up an increasingly sophisticated nuclear program.
China remains a linchpin to the Obama administration’s policy of holding a tough line on Pyongyang, a reversal from the past. Previous administrations used aid to mollify the North and gain concessions on its nuclear program, only to see the North’s promises evaporate once the aid had been delivered. In recent weeks, the administration has dispatched two ships outfitted with Aegis antimissile defenses to the region and said it will speed up the positioning of land-based missile defenses in Guam to protect allies in the region after North Korea’s threats to rain missiles on United States troops there and on South Korea.
Mr. Kerry said the Chinese shared the American goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, though he declined to say what steps China said it would take to accomplish it. Many Chinese believe the antimissile systems are part of a containment strategy against them at a time when the United States is pursuing a “pivot” to Asia.
Even if China were to take a harsher stance, North Korea might not fall into line. Under the new leader, Kim Jong-un, the North has snubbed China several times, including refusing Chinese entreaties to cancel its recent nuclear test that set off tensions on the Peninsula. In the past, China has been motivated by a different fear: that any move to destabilize the North would lead to a collapse of the regime and deliver the entire peninsula to the United States’ sphere of influence, possibly bringing American troops in South Korea closer to its border.
Mr. Kerry’s remarks are likely to stir concern among staunch advocates of missile defense in the United States, who also see anti-missile systems as a means of responding to China’s growing military might. China’s cooperation is essential to the Obama administration’s strategy of holding a tough line on Pyongyang in an attempt to achieve the type of long-lasting solution on the nuclear program that has eluded a string of United States presidents. Previous administrations responded to North Korean provocations by eventually offering aid to tamp down tensions, only to see the North’s promises to relinquish its nuclear program evaporate once the aid had been delivered.
At the core of the issue is the United States’ inability to draw North Korea into a serious round of nuclear talks. North Korea’s apparent determination to expand its nuclear weapons program and the American demand that it commit up front to eventually relinquishing its nuclear arms have raised the question of whether there is even any basis for negotiations. Mr. Kerry said he explained to China why the United States felt it needed more missile defenses in the region, then offered to pull them back.
“China has an enormous ability to help make a difference here,” Mr. Kerry said on Friday during a stop in Seoul, adding that he planned in meetings with Chinese leaders to “lay out a path ahead that can defuse this tension.” “Obviously if the threat disappears — i.e. North Korea denuclearizes — the same imperative does not exist at that point of time for us to have that kind of robust forward leaning posture of defense,” he said. “And it would be our hope in the long run, or better yet in short run, that we can address that.”
But the Chinese stance on North Korea has never been a simple one. On the one hand, the Chinese prize stability and are eager to avoid a crisis on the Korean Peninsula that would spawn a flood of refugees or prompt the United States to shift more forces to the Pacific. Mr. Kerry’s remarks are likely to stir concern among staunch advocates of missile defense in the United States, who also see antimissile systems as a means of responding to China’s growing military might.
Following Mr. Kim’s recent boasts about North Korea’s ability to carry out military strikes, the Obama administration decided to speed up the deployment of missile defenses to Guam and sent Aegis cruisers equipped with anti-missile systems into the region. It also conducted a military exercise in which B-2 bombers flew to South Korea before returning to their base in the United states, and it briefly deployed two F-22 fighters in South Korea as well. Even if China were to take a strong stance with its longtime ally, North Korea might not fall into line. Under its new leader, Kim Jong-un, the North has snubbed China several times, including refusing Chinese entreaties to cancel the recent nuclear test that set off the war of words on the Peninsula.
On the other hand, that same Chinese concern for stability has meant that it is reluctant to take steps that would undermine the North Korean government’s hold on power and eliminate a friendly buffer between Chinese territory and South Korean and American forces. At the core of the issue is the United States’ inability to draw North Korea into a serious round of nuclear talks. North Korea’s apparent determination to expand its nuclear weapons program and the American demand that it commit up front to eventually relinquishing those arms have raised the question of whether there is even any basis for negotiations.
In an effort to solicit China’s help, Mr. Kerry met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi. “China has an enormous ability to help make a difference here,” Mr. Kerry said on Friday in Seoul, adding that he planned in meetings with Chinese leaders to “lay out a path ahead that can defuse this tension.” The last stop on the trip focusing on North Korea will be Tokyo.
The Chinese stance on North Korea has never been a simple one. On one hand, the Chinese prize stability and are eager to avoid a crisis that would spawn a flood of refugees or prompt the United States to shift more forces to the Pacific. On the other hand, that same concern for stability has meant that it is reluctant to take steps that would undermine the North Korean government’s hold on power and eliminate a friendly buffer between Chinese territory and South Korean and American forces.
In Beijing, Mr. Kerry met with the new president, Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Premier Li Keqiang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.
Mr. Wang said at a dinner with Mr. Kerry on Saturday night that China was committed to “the denuclearization process on the Korean Peninsula.” But the Chinese foreign minister also stressed that the “issue should be handled and resolved peacefully through dialogue and consultation.”Mr. Wang said at a dinner with Mr. Kerry on Saturday night that China was committed to “the denuclearization process on the Korean Peninsula.” But the Chinese foreign minister also stressed that the “issue should be handled and resolved peacefully through dialogue and consultation.”
To encourage the Chinese to deal with the North Korean nuclear problem, Mr. Kerry said that he had shared “a very in-depth disc” illustrating the danger of how a nuclear North Korea could promote the proliferation of nuclear arms in Asia and the Middle East. To encourage the Chinese to deal with the North Korean nuclear problem, Mr. Kerry said that he had shared “very in-depth” information illustrating the danger of how a nuclear North Korea could promote the proliferation of nuclear arms in Asia and the Middle East.
Mr. Kerry said his aim was to find a way to revive the goals of the six-party talks on the North’s nuclear program, which have been stalled since 2009 when North Korea withdrew. The talks have included North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the United States.Mr. Kerry said his aim was to find a way to revive the goals of the six-party talks on the North’s nuclear program, which have been stalled since 2009 when North Korea withdrew. The talks have included North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the United States.
Mr. Kerry also portrayed cooperation on North Korea as just one element of a “model partnership” the United States hoped to build with China on diplomatic, economic and environmental issues. He also portrayed cooperation on North Korea as just one element of a “model partnership” the United States hoped to build with China on diplomatic, economic and environmental issues.
Mr. Kerry said there would be additional discussions in the weeks ahead with the Chinese on North Korea that would involve American intelligence experts: Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and William Burns, the Deputy Secretary of State. Bonnie S. Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that the Chinese government was very frustrated with Mr. Kim’s behavior and was taking some actions, like cracking down on the flow of illicit North Korean funds through Chinese banks. She said China, wary of being seen to do the West’s bidding, had no desire to publicize such moves.
The two sides also called on North Korea to refrain from provocations, an allusion to a potential missile test that the South Korean government has said could come at any time. At the same time, she noted, the Chinese feared the United States’ recent actions, including the flight of B-2 bombers in a test run over South Korea, would further incite the North.
Bonnie S. Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that the Chinese government was very frustrated with Mr. Kim’s behavior and was taking some actions, such as cracking down on the flow of illicit North Korean funds through Chinese banks. She said China had no desire to publicize such moves.
At the same time, she noted, the Chinese were very unhappy with American actions, including the flight of the B-2 bombers to South Korea, fearing the moves would further incite the North.
The United States “keeps sending more fighter bombers and missile defense ships to the waters of East Asia and carrying out massive military drills with Asian allies in a dramatic display of pre-emptive power,” the state-run news agency Xinhua said Saturday.The United States “keeps sending more fighter bombers and missile defense ships to the waters of East Asia and carrying out massive military drills with Asian allies in a dramatic display of pre-emptive power,” the state-run news agency Xinhua said Saturday.

Jane Perlez contributed reporting.

Jane Perlez contributed reporting.