Global Times: 'North Korea has no ability to confront China'

(Baonghean.vn) - The Global Times, a Chinese nationalist newspaper, published an article on February 24 commenting that the North Korean news agency KCNA used “unprecedentedly strong” commentary and created an “incident” in bilateral relations.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on February 22. Photo: KCNA/Getty.

Earlier, on February 23, North Korea made unusually vicious comments on state media, criticizing China's decision to ban coal imports from North Korea as "inhumane" and vowing to continue developing nuclear weapons.

“The country, which calls itself a great power, is following the US lead, justifying its petty behavior with reasons such as not intending to have a negative impact on the lives of the North Korean people but only aiming to curb its nuclear program,” KCNA said.

According to the Global Times, the above comment did not mention China by name, which shows that Pyongyang intends to put pressure on Beijing, but does not want to be too heavy. However, the newspaper said that Beijing is determined to comply with the decisions of the United Nations Security Council.

“North Korea is incapable of confronting China,” the newspaper said. “China should not pay too much attention to North Korea’s impulsive attitude.”

Earlier, on February 18, China announced that it would stop all coal shipments from North Korea until the end of this year, in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions on North Korea's nuclear program.

US President Donald Trump has promised to “get tough” on North Korea after its latest missile test and called on China to take a tougher stance. The US is also planning to deploy the THAAD missile defence system in South Korea – a move that could potentially threaten Beijing’s military capabilities.

“It is childish to think that the DPRK will not produce nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles if it is cut off a little bit of pocket money,” the KCNA news agency said.

North Korea’s state media has traditionally made belligerent and defiant statements toward the United States and its allies, rather than toward China, the country’s main source of food and raw materials. The exception was last March, when, after the UN Security Council passed a new round of sanctions, KCNA referred to “a powerful country abandoning the precious friendship built with blood.”

Thu Giang

(According to Bloomberg)