Follow Up to Earlier Thread..

[chinadave2001]

Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Beijing on Sunday for talks with Chinese leaders on the North Korea crisis.

 

 

Powell presses China on N. Korea crisis

 

 

On Asian tour, Powell tries to build consensus on nuclear standoff

 

 

 

MSNBC NEWS SERVICES

 

 

 

BEIJING, Feb. 23 — U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in China Sunday as part of his first visit to East Asia since U.S. officials said North Korea admitted in October it was pursuing a covert nuclear arms program. Earlier, Powell acknowledged widespread anti-American sentiment in South Korea and said Washington would have to do a better job of demonstrating the benefits of the alliance between the two countries amid mounting tensions with Pyongyang.

 

February 22 — U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell’s four-day trip to Asia will mainly focus on North Korea’s apparent nuclear ambitions. NBC’s Ned Colt reports.

 

POWELL ARRIVED in China from Tokyo, where he and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi shared concerns about Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Both sides agreed on the need for close coordination and on continuing efforts to seek a peaceful solution.

Powell said that the United States remained open to giving North Korea, whose economy is in ruins and which cannot feed its people, an array of aid but only after it abandons its suspected nuclear weapons ambitions.

“You can’t eat plutonium. You can’t eat enriched uranium,” Powell said.

Dressed in a dark suit, Powell waved as he disembarked in Beijing. He was greeted by Chinese officials and Clark T. Randt, the American ambassador to China.

On Monday, Powell is scheduled to meet Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Vice President Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, according to U.S. Embassy officials in Beijing.

 

FOCUS ON N. KOREA CRISIS

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Thursday that Powell and Chinese officials would cover “wide-ranging topics including China-U.S. relations and current issues.” She did not provide any other details.

U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Powell expected to “discuss how the security council can stand by its resolution to disarm Iraq” in his meetings in Beijing.

 

“He looks forward to considering with the Chinese how to build on their existing efforts with North Korea,” Boucher said.

Washington has been pressuring Beijing, North Korea’s most powerful ally, to take a more active role in helping to resolve the nuclear crisis, pushing for “multilateral talks” that would involve China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and perhaps other countries.

But China has so far sidestepped the request. It has said that, while the matter is one of regional concern, the disagreement is a “bilateral issue” and must be resolved by the United States and North Korea.

 

IRAQ IS LIKELY TOPIC

Another likely topic of discussion is Iraq. In recent days, China has found itself in agreement with Russia, Germany and France in its hesitation about U.S. President George W. Bush’s ultimatum to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The United States and Britain have already said time has run out for Saddam and are preparing to present a new draft resolution that would given them U.N. backing for war in Iraq.

Washington needs the minimum nine votes necessary to pass a U.N. Security Council resolution, while avoiding a veto by France, Russia or China, all permanent members of the council.

Latest on the Iraq crisis

China still considers inspections — not war — to be the best path to peace and regional security.

Powell’s next stop is in Seoul, where he is scheduled to attend the Tuesday inauguration of South Korean President-elect Roh Moo-hyun.

 

ANTI-U.S. FEELING IN S. KOREA

 

 

Earlier, while in Tokyo, Powell addressed the rising anti-U.S. sentiment in South Korea, and its effect on the two allies’ relationship.

The alliance “created conditions for solid economic growth that has brought South Korea clearly into the camp of democracy,” Powell said. “They have benefited greatly from this alliance.”

Newsweek interview with President Roh Moo-hyun

He added that there are “always stresses and challenges in a relationship, and that certainly is the case with South Korea, but I think the relationship certainly remains strong.”

Anti-American sentiment was evident during the recent presidential campaign in South Korea, particularly among younger South Koreans, despite the apparent growing military threat from North Korea.

 

Powell pledged the United States “will do nothing that is not in the closest of coordination with our South Korean friends.”

Shortly after his arrival in Tokyo Saturday, Powell and Koizumi shared concerns about North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. They agreed to coordinate efforts to deal with the problem, officials said.

Powell, who also met with Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, is on his first visit to East Asia since North Korea acknowledged in October that it was developing uranium-based nuclear arms.

The talks come at a high point in U.S.-Japanese relations. Japan backs American policy in Iraq, and has dispatched or promised to send military vessels in support of the U.S. anti-terrorism campaign in South Asia.

Boucher, the State Department spokesman, said the discussions in Tokyo showed that both sides “understand the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.” On North Korea, Boucher said there was agreement on the need for close coordination and “on continuing our efforts to seek a peaceful solution.”

Japan, an avowedly pacifist country since the end of World War II, began taking a more assertive stance following a North Korean missile test that overflew Japan in 1998. At present, North Korea is believed to have dozens of missiles capable of hitting any target in Japan.

Japan has said it will use force if it has reason to believe North Korea is planning a military strike against it.

 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

[AZwolfman]

I read that article this morning. Finally Powell is doing something that I have advocated since the beginning of this N. Korea thing. But please, Mr. Powell, don't get the Chinese mad at us.

[Guest R2D2]

This thread was purposefully discontinued because it was to sensitive to our brothers and sisters in China. It is a touchy subject and this thread should not continue.

[chinadave2001]

Hi, Dave here, of course I would have never started this if it was sensitive or a problem for our friends in China. But could you explain how and why it is ? As far as I can understand it, this thread expresses the hope that China will use its influence to get this situation under control before something terrible for everybody happens. Feel free to pm me with the answer! I am not trying to be sarcastic here - I truly do not understand how this is either offensive or sensitive. Thanks, Dave

[danswayne]

I was going to say almost the same thing but did not want to start anything. I did not read too closely, just scanned it, but I did not see too much bad about China. I do agree with most people here in China that Bush is stupid and the war should not happen. Maybe that is because I have two younger brothers and an uncle over there right now.

[Mick]

Personally, I didn't find the article too insensitive. Secondly, I would just like to add, in case people have forgotten, that this particular issue is highly pertinent to one of our Candle members. Owen lives less than 300 miles from the border and this issue has direct, daily impact on his life. Sometimes news is not as easy to come by over here as in the west. I don't think we need to beat this issue into the ground, but posting these stories is sometimes helpful for those of us who live here.

 

That's just my two jiao.

[Guest R2D2]

When this topic was started a week ago, PJ was asked to stop it, as it was to sensitive to someone, and he did. This is why I stated that it was probably best not to start it again. At the time, I too thought that someone was being overly sensitive and I personaly still do. Who knows what is in the minds of some or what paths and roads they had to walk down and I would be the last person to show no compassion or insensitivity.

[Mick]

When this topic was started a week ago, PJ was asked to stop it, as it was to sensitive to someone, and he did. This is why I stated that it was probably best not to start it again. At the time, I too thought that someone was being overly sensitive and I personaly still do. Who knows what is in the minds of some or what paths and roads they had to walk down and I would be the last person to show no compassion or insensitivity.  

Obviously you know something I don't about this that I don't. I trust your judgement, as well as PJ's.

[Mick]

That should have read, "you know something about this that I don't". I have just connected my new lap top to the Internet and I am having major trouble getting used to this new keyboard. My old one you had to pound on like an old manual typewriter. This new one, however, responds if you breathe on it.