Obama, Hu Jintao Talk As U.S. President Urges China To Rein In North Korea

BEIJING — President Barack Obama urged China's leader in a phone call Monday to send Beijing ally North Korea a message that "its provocations are unacceptable," while the Chinese leader urged restraint.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said during the conversation that China was "greatly concerned" about the current tension on the peninsula and called for "calm and rational response" from all sides, China's official Xinhua News Agency said.

"The fragile security situation on the Korean Peninsula, if not properly handled, could lead to further escalation of tension, or even run out of control, which is not in the common interests of all parties concerned," Xinhua quoted Hu as saying.

In Washington, the White House said the leaders talked about their common interest in peace and stability in Asia and the importance of keeping the Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons.

Obama condemned North Korea's pursuit of a uranium enrichment program as well as the shelling of the South Korean island in which four people were killed, it said.

Obama "urged China to work with us and others to send a clear message to North Korea that its provocations are unacceptable," a White House statement added.

China is North Korea's most important ally and has been pressured by the U.S. and others to use its influence to rein in Pyongyang following its shelling of the South Korean island on Nov. 23.

Beijing has been reluctant to take forceful action that risks angering or destabilizing the Pyongyang regime, preferring to call for a resumption of six-nation North Korean nuclear disarmament talks.

Comments

[WiseGoat]

08:31 PM on 12/11/2010

...And I urge Obama to stay his @$$ away from China.

[Pod-gers]

10:51 PM on 12/09/2010

What a farce! There is no love lost between No K and China. What garbage this notion is, that No K gives a da*n what China tells them. As for China, No K's unilateral invasion of So k resulted in US troops crossing the line and draging China into the war against their will, and the death of mao's son. Anyone who think's China is sweet on No K is daffy.

[ForemostPanda]

07:23 AM on 12/07/2010

obama is the worst president ever. why should china rein in their attack dog while it's making mincemeat of our Country?

[dbmetzger]

11:39 PM on 12/06/2010

Korean Tensions May Result in New Six-Party Talks
US, Chinese, and Japanese diplomats called for conciliatory steps by Pyongyang before six-party talks with Pyongyang can resume. The suggestions come weeks after North Korea unexpectedly shelled a South Korean island with artillery fire, killing four. http://www.newslook.com/videos/272149-korean-tensions-may-result-in-new-six-party-talks?autoplay=true

[mike72]

10:49 PM on 12/06/2010

Isn't this just some sort of political manipulation?

"I am telling you to do THIS. And you if you don't, you are not a responsible member of MY CLUB I name International Community. If you do, you are taking order from me and MY CLUB will take notice who is the boss."

:)

[mike72]

10:56 PM on 12/06/2010

And China will smile politely and strike hard and deep somewhere else.

Never play game on someone else's term. Or do battle in someone else's familiar terrain. Take one obvious and superficial action in one direction and strike real hard from another.

[Pod-gers]

10:53 PM on 12/09/2010

Do you think it is pure coincidence that this dust up with No K is happening at the same time as the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony?

[wwoody]

10:13 PM on 12/06/2010

It’s not in China best interest to rein North Korea. North Korea has always been China Pit Bull, they allowed them to run through the neighborhood barking and biting people plus knocking over trash can, digging up the neighbor yards wherever it goes. So are they going to put that Pit Bull down, just because we said so, Hell NO.? No way.

[MajorKong]

04:17 PM on 12/06/2010

This assumes that China has as much influence over North Korea as we think they do.

[Dknight99]

04:11 PM on 12/06/2010

The West really needs to stop seeing China as the Soviet Union. North Korea isn't a Chinese satellite state. They can urge them to talk, but can in no way force them or send in tanks or anything of the sort. They do not want to sanction them as it would cause massive famine for North Korean civilians and huge migrations. People who were born in the wrong country shouldn't have to suffer just because the West wants China to be tough on North Korea.

[Cheapthrills]

03:00 PM on 12/06/2010

N. Korea is the war animal to China as the u.s. of a is the war animal to Saudi Arabia.
Why should one country put out dollars on wars when another bully country is so willing to spend and bankrupt their country's money on "defense".

[MrJoyboy]

12:32 PM on 12/06/2010

Obama biggest talent seems to be delegating responsibility--to Congress at home and to China overseas.

[grange]

02:56 PM on 12/06/2010

China should deal with NK , what can anyone else do ?

[Dknight99]

04:13 PM on 12/06/2010

Well to start, US, Japan and South Korea could return to the six party talk and open dialogue instead of having war games in water that was unilaterally decided by the US. Does that sound reasonable?

[xtiangodloki]

12:22 PM on 12/06/2010

Just a few weeks ago South Korea rebuffed Obama's attempts at getting a trade agreement in G20. The threat from NK enabled the US to hammer a superior trade deal which will benefit Americans far more. So this is not exactly a bad thing, for Americans at least. From a geopolitical point of view it's a lot worse if the two koreas decide make nice, unite and then kick out US military out of Korea.

[Returners]

12:13 PM on 12/06/2010

China is trying to keep the peace.
China doesn't sell weapons to either South Korea or North Korea.
China encourages both sides to work out their difference­­­­­­s through six party talks.
China never performs military exercises with North Korea.
China never calls for invasion of South Korea.
The usa on the other hand sells weapons to South Korea.
The usa rejects six party talks.
The usa regularly does joint military exercises with South Korea practicing invasion of the North.
The usa regularly calls for invasion of North Korea.

[Sans Octavian]

01:30 AM on 12/07/2010

China is not trying to keep the peace. China is trying to weight out yet another problem as other activily try to do some contructive about it.

I am pretty sure China doesn't sell weapons to North Korea - it more than likely just gives them away.

China is unwilling to look at the situation objectively. It doesn't admit to itself or the world community in a public way the sinking was clearly done at the hands of the DPRK.

China has the most to gain and lose in this situation. It ought to work towards fixing the issue. If the North Koreans provoke armed responses by the US/ROK/JPN it will look as if China wasn't willing to step up to the plate in time.

[Returners]

03:31 AM on 12/07/2010

>it more than likely just gives them away.

Name one weapon that was exported to North korea by China after Mao

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People%27s_Army_Ground_Force
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People%27s_Air_Force
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People%27s_Navy

Just looking at the inventories North Korea doesn't have a single equipment from China after Mao lost power, other than the silkworms which were smuggled into North Korea.

> It doesn't admit to itself or the world community in a public way the sinking was clearly done at the hands of the DPRK.

An independent investigation of the Cheonan incident was done by China and Russia and they determined that it was sunk by a Naval mine. Keep in mind that the USA investigators were the same clowns that claimed Iraq had WMD. Even the South Korean people don't believe that it was sunk by the North

http://www.stripes.com/news/amid-doubts-over-sinking-of-cheonan-u-s-and-s-korean-navies-conduct-anti-sub-drills-1.119392

A poll conducted by Realmeter earlier this month showed 40 percent of South Koreans have doubts about the investigation. Skepticism was highest among the young. Only 27.3 percent of those in their 20s said they believe the investigation report. Of those 50 and older, nearly 60 percent said they trust the report, according to the poll, which had a 3.7 percent margin of error.

[Returners]

03:36 AM on 12/07/2010

China is the only country here being the responsible world power.

Remaining neutral in the conflict. The idea that China favors North Korea is doubtful especially since they agreed to sanctions on North Korea after the missile and nuclear tests.

While the USA on the other hand is arming one side and constantly egging him on to start a fight with his weaker counterpart.

[Returners]

12:12 PM on 12/06/2010

The usa on the other hand sells weapons to South Korea.
The usa rejects six party talks.
The usa regularly does joint military exercises with South Korea practicing invasion of the North.
The usa regularly calls for invasion of North Korea.

[Returners]

12:12 PM on 12/06/2010

The usa on the other hand sells weapons to South Korea.
The usa rejects six party talks.
The usa regularly does joint military exercises with South Korea practicing invasion of the North.
The usa regularly calls for invasion of North Korea.
Who is the warmonger here? usa or China?

[Returners]

12:12 PM on 12/06/2010

China is trying to keep the peace.
China doesn't sell weapons to either South Korea or North Korea.
China encourages both sides to work out their difference­­­­­­s through six party talks.
China never performs military exercises with North Korea.
China never calls for invasion of South Korea.