Chinese along border wary of nuclear test aftermath

• Source: The Global Times
• [07:22 June 01 2009]
• Comments

'No right to go nuclear'

Wei Guo'an, a renowned Chinese missile expert, however, believes the nuclear test will have “a minimal environmental impact” on China's border regions.

“What China is concerned with is not environmental pollution, but the potential risks of a new nuclear-arms race in Northeast Asia and on the Korean Peninsula,” he told the Global Times.

Lin Junzhe, an ethnic Korean living in Yanji city of Jilin Province, was one of the few in China who supported the nuclear test. Lin refused to label North Korea as “a rogue country.”

“They are generally poor as a country, but I do admire their ambition,” Lin said, adding that China also detonated a nuclear bomb in the 1960s when its economy was struggling.

Wei, however, argued that China's and North Korea's nuclear detonations took place under totally different circumstances. The international and regional situation facing North Korea right now is fairly sound, he said, while China had to deal with international threats both from the US and the former Soviet Union in the 1960s.

It is a hollow belief that North Korea has the right to develop nuclear weapons because the major world powers possess nuclear arms, said Zhang Liangui, a professor of international strategic research at the Central Party School.

He said the role of nuclear weapons for major and small countries is different, given that one or two nuclear bombs aren't enough to defeat a large country. “For major nations, such as the US and China, these weapons can enhance national security due to their wide strategic depth. But nuclear arms, for small countries, are nothing but a great peril.”

'A bigger threat than Japan'

North Korea's widely condemned nuclear test and resulting regional tension comes as the country and China are celebrating their “Friendship Year” and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Sun said the recent nuclear test puts China in a dilemma, as traditional bonds between the two countries are apparently spoiled. “North Korea has given up its past practice of following China,” he said.

Wei echoed Sun by saying there is a possibility that the brotherhood between the two countries might be affected, as China is resolutely opposed to North Korea mastering nuclear weapons.

“Despite frequent calls made by the international community to dismantle its nuclear facilities, North Korea would rather play with fire,” he said.

According to a recent poll conducted by stnn.cc, a Hong Kong-based news portal, 85 percent of 1,490 respondents were strongly against or didn't support North Korea's nuclear test, with only 14 percent backing the move. And 48 percent believe the test will result in a gradual downturn in the Sino- North Korean relationship, while 40 percent don't believe it will sour the bilateral ties.

Most conceded that their opinion of North Korea was affected by the test, with 66 percent saying they are more averse to the country than before.

Asked which country is the biggest threat in Northeast Asia, 48 percent chose North Korea, and 27 percent picked Japan.

The reason that China is resolutely opposed to North Korea's nuclear test lies in national interests, Professor Zhang said.

“The site of the recent nuclear test is too close to China's northeast regions,” Zhang said. “If North Korea's future nuclear tests fail, China's northeast regions may suffer devastating consequences.

“Some Chinese scholars said North Korea's nuclear test was aimed at the US, but in fact, it was aimed at neighboring countries,” Zhang noted.

Qiu Wei and Guo Qiang contributed to this story