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| China-Japan-Koreas | |
| Wen: China Will Not Shield Attacker of Cheonan | |
| 2010-05-29 | |
China's number two official has assured South Korean authorities that Beijing will not obstruct justice in the sinking of a South Korean naval ship. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao paid a state visit to Seoul on Friday, where officials lobbied him for cooperation in punishing Pyongyang at the United Nations Security Council.
The Cheonan was patrolling waters west of the Korean Peninsula near a maritime border long disputed by North Korea when a sudden explosion tore it in half and sunk it, killing 46 sailors. International investigators concluded that it was beyond doubt a North Korean submarine had fired a torpedo at the ship. In a Seoul meeting with President Lee Myung-bak, Wen was quoted as condemning "any act that destroys the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula." South Korea and the United States are urging China to join them in punishing North Korea with action at the United Nations Security Council. China, however, has not directly said it thinks Pyongyang is responsible. Wen and Lee will be joined this weekend by Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on South Korea's Jeju island for a three-way summit. While the meeting originally was meant to primarily discuss economic issues, North Korea is likely to top the agenda. Tokyo tightened its own sanctions on Pyongyang this week, restricting the flow of money to North Korea and passing legislation that empowers its Coast Guard to inspect North Korean cargo in international waters. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 A South Korean presidential spokesman quoted Wen Friday as saying Beijing "will not protect" those responsible for sinking South Korea's patrol ship, the Cheonan, in March. Easy way out: Blame some mystery entity for sinking the Cheonan. Maybe say the US did it to provoke war. Maybe say it was a SKor conspiracy and that the dead were just actors. Who can hold their breath for a really long time. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-05-29 01:57 |