Opinion

Road to a peaceful peninsula

By Lu Chao (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-01 07:51

The US has signed seven military cooperation treaties with other countries, five of which are in the East Asian region: Australia, Japan, the ROK, the Philippines and Thailand. The US-Japan military cooperation is most important to Washington, and the ROK is its largest military cooperation partner after the UK and Japan.

It's obvious that the US tries its best, even resorts to military force, to maintain its strategic position in East Asia. The DPRK, on its part, will try to maintain its existing system at any cost and even develop nuclear weapons to counter security threats from the US.

But if the DPRK tries to develop nuclear weapons, it will not only upset the existing strategic power balance in East Asia, but also could start a nuclear arms race in the region and even the entire Asia Pacific zone. Of course, China and other neighboring countries will oppose such attempts by the DPRK.

Therefore, the root of US-DPRK antagonism is not the so-called difference in their ideologies, but the conflict of interests. The fear of war between the US and the DPRK is real. Recently, the Cheonan incident led to the most fearful military confrontation between the ROK and the DPRK since the signing of the Korean War armistice in July 1953.

The US and the ROK's massive joint navy drill antagonized the DPRK further and evoked China's anxiety and anger.

Although it's widely believed that a Korean War-like conflict is not likely to be repeated, all parties should draw a lesson from history, maintain their calm and exercise self-restraint. They should try to resolve their disputes peacefully and as soon as possible. And the Six-Party Talks are the best platform to do that.

To restart the Six-Party Talks, many things have to be adjusted according to the changing situations, such as the agenda and the supervision mechanism. Once the DPRK's nuclear issue is resolved and its relations to with US are relaxed, it would be time to create a multilateral free trade zone and establish a new security regime in Northeast Asia.

Given the complicated situation in Northeast Asia, a "politically cold but economically warm" situation may last for some time.

But cooperation is what every country desires, and to ensure that that is fulfilled, China will continue to promote harmony in international relations through economic and cultural cooperation.

I believe economic integration in Northeast Asia will lead to harmony among countries in the region, as well as stability within these countries.

The author is director of Border Area Research Institute under the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences.

(China Daily 09/01/2010 page9)