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| ChiComs fill NORK Void Left by Drop in US aid, Japanese Trade |
| 2004-02-18 |
| From East-Asia-Intel...subscription req’d... North Korea’s deepening isolation caused by its prolonged standoff with the U.S. and its East Asian allies over its nuclear weapons drive is forcing the reclusive country to rely more on trade with its only remaining communist neighbor, China. Since it refuses to give up its nefarious trade practices in marketing missiles and dope. The trade volume between North Korea and China surpassed $1 billion in 2003, up 38.7 percent from a year ago when it stood at $738 million, the Korea International Trade Association said in a recent report. North Korea imported $627 million worth of goods from China, including fuel, while exporting $395 million worth of goods, mostly seafood, clothing and steel, to its communist neighbor. Just what the Chicoms need, the finest Nork Steel, heat treated with White Slag and Juche. The North’s fuel imports sharply increased by 53.2 percent to $187 million from the previous year. The North’s chronic energy shortage deepened last year after the United States stopped an annual shipment of 500,000 tons of fuel oil in January 2003. Just what the Chicoms need, supplying the Norks with oil when their own domestic supplies are inadequate. In contrast, North Korea’s trade with Japan fell more than 30 percent year-over-year in 2003 following Tokyo’s crackdown over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions. The report says that two-way trade volume between North Korea and Japan fell by one-third last year from the previous year to $46.9 million, the lowest in 30 years. Analysts say China’s greater role in North Korea’s economic survival would boost Beijing’s leverage in bringing Pyongyang to the table to defuse international concerns over its nuclear weapons. If Beijing wants to do this they could squeeze Kimmie hard, but no evidence of this yet, being communist buddies and all that. Diplomatic sources say China has promised to provide North Korea with 26 billion won ($22 million) worth of economic aid in return for Pyongyang’s pledge to return to international talks on its nuclear ambitions. The talks are slated to begin next week. $22 million for showing up for talks and meals, no promises of results. Nice work if you can get it. Meanwhile, North Korea recently vowed to seek brisk trade with capitalist countries. A recent article in the Kyongje Yongu (Economy Studies), a magazine published by the North Korean government, called for economic diplomacy by expanding markets abroad. "We should conduct active economic diplomacy, that is trade, to brazenly penetrate into capitalist countries," it said. First you have to have something to sell besides missiles to Senegal and heroin to Australia. |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #9 The PRC is supplying the fuel while SK is providing the rice. I'm much happier with the current balance sheet than the situation that Carter negotiated. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-2-18 7:35:38 PM |
| #8 Yes the Chicoms are very smart in regards to Taiwan. Alaska Paul is on the money. They are pulling in billions of investment dollars from Taiwan. Still not sure how this will play out. Either they are absobed peacefully (doubtful though - especially with thier moves in Hong Kong and Macau) or violently. The second option, based on writings of the PLA, is most likely the outcome. Though this will bring ruin to the chinese and taiwan economies and rise prices for everyone across the board. |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-2-18 5:11:34 PM |
| #7 The Chicoms are being stupid about the NORKS, but the Chicoms are being both stupid and smart about the Taiwanese. If the PLA has the need to rattle their sabres across the straits, hey have a ball. A conflict with Taiwan would be an economic disaster for the PRC. However, with an increase in trade and economic ties, as well as loans from Taiwan to PRC enterprises, the Chicoms could, after a number of years, put the Taiwanese in a position where they could be economically strongarmed, thus slowly compromised and slowly defacto absorbed into the PRC. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-2-18 4:28:27 PM |
| #6 kinda of a dunkirk in reverse................ make some good target practice for the Taiwanese F-16's |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-2-18 4:19:12 PM |
| #5 a read a fleet of 50'000 fishing boats would be the only viable way for china to get enough man power onto mainland taiwan.They will try to itimidate the tai's. A war with china would be possiby the must brutal and hard fought war of all time - make a great film i bet |
| Posted by: Jon Shep U.K 2004-2-18 4:12:28 PM |
| #4 amd the chicoms would not win any conventional war - though it would be bloody, on par with korea or even WWII. as it stands today the chicoms could barely move a division across the taiwan strait. and they would exhaust ther medium ballastic missle supply in 2-3 days. but they are building more every year, but without them being nuclear tipped, they would have to be dammend accruate to destroy the airfields and harbours of Taiwan. the only way to accomplish this the Global Positioning Satellites, that is american statellites, which we could bar them from using. the chinese are modernizing, but it will take years. by 2015 they should have the same capabilites that the united states has today (but the us capapbitlies then will be, well a little like star wars to the average joe). but i wouldn't take my eye off them, their military white paper's point to eventual conflict. |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-2-18 4:03:19 PM |
| #3 agree totally about needing to use very hardball tactics with these nutters |
| Posted by: Jon Shep U.K 2004-2-18 3:57:19 PM |
| #2 the chicoms created the problem in nkor let them solve it, they are more threatened than the United States by nkor. the way i see it is that the chicoms overplayed thier hand with thier comi brethern and now must pay the piper. either pay the tab for supporting this corrupt regime or have a nuclear armed Japan and very serious problem on thier border. Crime in the chicom/nkor border region was already on the rise (hungry nkor solderiers). If this situation persists alot of things will get ugly for the chicoms. Clinton sold out to the nkor's, once again clinton shrieking his duties and passing the problem to the next admin. Just how did the US become the biggest donor nation to nkor? should of never of happened. Bush did the right thing when he pulled the plug. Bush's hardball tactics must be making the chicoms squirm. |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-2-18 3:54:30 PM |
| #1 so basically China's been undermining the best efforts of the USA and its allies by directly supplying Kimmie with all he could need,fuckin annoys the hell outa me. Still reassuring to know china would never win in an all out conflict with America that went Atomic |
| Posted by: Jon Shep U.K 2004-2-18 3:51:32 PM |