By Wang Linchang

On December 18, a Chinese trawler capsized after colliding with a South Korean coast guard vessel. Two Chinese fishermen died and one is still missing. The Chinese side expressed its serious concern and made solemn representations.

According to media reports, South Korea does not want the capsizing accident to develop into a diplomatic issue, so it is willing to work with the Chinese government to solve the problem. China and South Korea seem to have agreed that the resulting friction needs to be handled calmly.

Looking back on Sino-ROK relations over the past year, most of the so-called friction between the two countries relates to differences on how to deal with North Korea. These differences concern peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, but also security and development in Northeast Asia as a whole.

China, South Korea and North Korea are all looking at the deeper causes of these "differences."

But there is an external factor that cannot be neglected - the shift eastward of US strategic focus, otherwise known as the US policy of "returning to East Asia." This has intensified frictions between China and South Korea.

The US benefits from tension and confrontation and even from the crossfire on the Korean Peninsula. It will also benefit from frictions between China and South Korea.

An obvious illustration is that, after the US and South Korea had carried out 10 consecutive military exercises, North Korea decided to fire back and even planned to launch a "sacred" nuclear war.

This gave the US a pretext for sending submarines and aircraft carriers to the Yellow Sea. The appearance of three US aircraft carriers in the Northeast Asian region is hardly likely to dilute tension on the peninsula. To all appearances, the US is seeking to put pressure on China's strategy.

At the Six-Party Talks, the US drew South Korea away from China. At previous Six-Party Talks, South Korea had played a key role as "intermediary" between its "compatriot" North Korea and its "ally" the US.

But things have changed. Like the US and Japan, South Korea's reaction to China's suggestion of restarting the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible was lukewarm.

The Sino-ROK strategic cooperative partnership has run into a serious challenge. Distance between China and South Korea spells closer relations between South Korea and the US. The US-ROK military alliance will become tighter, and tension and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula will persist.

If South Korea ties itself to the chariot of the United States, it risks losing even more than it did in the Cheonan warship incident and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling. Only the United States, thousands of miles away, will benefit.

China has drawn lessons from these frictions. China wants a close special relationship with North Korea but also a close strategic cooperation partnership with South Korea.

Great achievements have been made since China and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1992. Nobody wants to see those achievements destroyed.

North Korea is used to the diplomatic ties between China and South Korea, but South Korea is still not accustomed to the close relations between China and North Korea.

Given that it is still the "ally" of the US, it is little wonder that it feels this way.

The friction between China and South Korea over the past year has set people thinking. A recent commentary in South Korea's Chosun Ilbo said relying on the US alone was imprudent; South Korea also needed to seek a breakthrough in the diplomatic impasse by telling to China and Russia.

South Korea's willingness to work closely with the Chinese government over the capsizing accident reflects the understanding between China and South Korea.

In the current circumstances, it is necessary to deal with the friction between China and South Korea calmly and strengthen strategic communication.

Peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are China's strategic objectives.

Tension and confrontation are inevitable, but China must remain calm, especially in dealing with the frictions caused by differences about peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Only by avoiding frictions between China and the two Koreas can China compete successfully with the US in Northeast Asia.

The author is a member of the Korean Peninsula Research Center of the Asia Pacific Society of China. forum@globaltimes.com.cn