An overseas trip to a so-called ally begins with a secret border crossing at dawn. Those who welcome the visitor are neither the people nor high officials, but hundreds of police officers on security detail.
As international reporters chase him from Dandong to a hotel in Dalian, neither China nor North Korea is explaining or reporting officially the purpose of his visit. Games between the international media and the Chinese authorities’ efforts to shake them off show very clearly how low the leader’s dignity really is.
The eyes of the world are watching how China deals with this old, sick man, since it is the Chinese who have the ability to change the future of the Korean Peninsula and surrounding region.
While the people have been left malnourished or starving for two decades, his appellation, “Dear Leader,” is found all over the country. While he threatens his neighbors with nuclear weapons and missiles, he begs them for aid. He is even trying to turn over his feeble throne to his son. The world is watching how China will deal with this person. The Chinese administration should take this fact seriously.
The Six-Party Talks, run by China, have been in recess for one and half years. During that time, his fiefdom has conducted a second nuclear test and launched a long-range missile. Now, the suspicion is that an unprecedented incident in the sea between China and South Korea was performed on his orders.
En route to China, he may have played with the idea of resuming the Six-Party Talks as a reward for Chinese economic aid. He needs an urgent influx of Yuan in order to meet the physical conditions for the third generation succession and to deal with the aftereffects of a botched currency redenomination.
In reality, whenever he faces domestic difficulties or international isolation, he calls on China, and every time, China helps him.
However, this time the Chinese administration should read international concerns about North Korea and behave seriously in order to ascend to international expectations.
In order for China to perform its international obligations and avoid being swayed by him, it is important to appreciate the fact that the Cheonan incident, the suspension of the Six-Party Talks and all other scattered problems are caused by the dysfunctional nature of his tyrannical regime.
If China tried to deal with the Cheonan incident and the Six-Party Talks separately, relations with South Korea and the U.S. may suffer. In addition to which, if China tries to restart the Six-Party Talks by offering economic aid to him as reward, it will face two dilemmas; one as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, since it should adhere to UN Resolution 1874, and the other as chair of the Six-Party Talks, for which it should act neutrally.
The world is watching with curiosity for the moment when Chinese President Hu Jintao, the leader of 1.3 billion people, stands shoulder to shoulder with this vulgar, undignified leader on the diplomatic stage. The world is hoping for some Chinese wisdom.
