China seeks out Russia over North Korea strategy

In an unusual move, China has sought out Russia to discuss a way forward regarding North Korea following the execution of pro-reform leader Jang Sung-taek, reports Duowei News, an outlet run by overseas Chinese.

Jang, 67, the uncle-in-law of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un, was executed last week for allegedly staging a coup. He was described as "despicable human scum" by North Korea's state media and accused of treason, corruption, womanizing, gambling and taking drugs. Jang was not afforded a right of appeal and was executed just four days after being found guilty of all charges against him.

China has remained largely silent on the execution, but when asked about the matter at a press conference on Dec. 13, Chinese foreign minister spokesperson Hong Lei diplomatically stated: "We have noted relevant reports. It is the DPRK's internal affair. As its neighbor, we hope to see the DPRK maintain political stability and realize economic development and people there lead a happy life."

It has since been revealed that Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi contacted his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the evening of Dec. 13 to discuss high-level exchanges between the two countries next year but also the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula. While the two countries have arranged similar talks before, this was believed to be the first time China has pro-actively sought out Russia to discuss North Korea since Pyongyang put an end to the six-party talks — aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to North Korea's nuclear program — in 2009.

China, Duowei said, is searching for a partner to engage in strategic talks over North Korea given the unpredictability of Kim Jong-un's actions and plans regarding further nuclear testing and escalation of its belligerent rhetoric. Moreover, the fact that Jang was regarded as a primary driver of North Korea's reform movement is said to have China scrambling to figure out whether his death signals a repudiation of Chinese-style economic reform and how it may affect future relations between the two countries.

There is also speculation that Jang may have been made a scapegoat for the failed economic reforms he was implementing in North Korea, raising further concerns that Pyongyang may decide to move in a different direction.

In answering a question about how Jang's execution could affect China-North Korean business ties, Hong offered another tame response, saying that "China will continue economic interactions with the DPRK based on friendliness and mutual benefit and advance practical cooperation."

As a partner that co-operated with Jang in shaping North Korea's reform efforts, China needs to distance itself from Jang and ascertain Kim's intentions for the future direction of his country, Duowei said, adding that China's unusual effort to seek out Russia to discuss the issue is an acknowledgment of its inability to rein in North Korea despite being its only ally.

>>>Bingo.

In the West, we often assume that economic freedom inexorably leads to political freedom.

That simply cannot be backed up from world history.<<<

In modern history political freedom comes only out of economy.

Wealthy people are much more demanding in terms of respecting their rights and dignity.

The poor doesn’t need any freedom, they are willingly selling their votes to a highest bidder as we can see in Central and Southern America, Africa, Ukraine etc.

All of these nations has formal representative governments very similar to that of developed nations but there are neither rights nor freedoms.

Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore - all were a dictatorships as far as 1950s. They had their enormous economic growth at the time and got a majority wealthy middle class which has transformed these nations into functional republics.

If one thinks China is any different he is a fool. It wasn’t much different from North Korea just 40 years ago, today both China on par with Russia considered decadent capitalist nations by the Norks.

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