The Chines are now entering the growing tensions in the Korean Penninsula. They have called in the ambassadors of North Korea, South Korea and The US to ask to have the situation defused.
China has intervened in the deepening Korea crisis by summoning the ambassadors of North and South Korea, as well as the United States, to warn tensions must be defused on the Korean peninsula.
The abrupt set of exchanges came after Pyongyang shut down the last shared link with the South by refusing entry to almost 500 South Korean workers who work in a cross-border industrial park.
Zhang Yesui, the deputy foreign minister, outlined Beijing’s “serious concern about the present situation”, and added that it expects the escalation of tension to cease.
“All sides must remain calm and exercise restraint and not take actions which are mutually provocative and must certainly not take actions which will worsen the situation,” said the foreign ministry.
China continues their military buildup on the border with North Korea.
China continued moving tanks and armored vehicles and flying flights near North Korea this week as part of a military buildup in the northeastern part of the country that U.S. officials say is related to the crisis with North Korea.
The Obama administration, meanwhile, sought to play down the Chinese military buildup along the border with Beijing’s fraternal communist ally despite the growing danger of conflict following unprecedented threats by Pyongyang to attack the United States and South Korea with nuclear weapons.
According to U.S. officials with access to intelligence reports, both intelligence and Internet reports from the region over the past week revealed the modest military movements in the border region that began in mid-March and are continuing.
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The buildup likely serves two goals, the officials said. One is to bolster border security in case a conflict sends large numbers of refugees from the impoverished state into China.
Additionally, the troop buildup is a signal to Pyongyang that China will abide by its defense commitment to North Korea in the event of renewed conflict.
China’s military maintains a mutual defense treaty with North Korea. The last time Chinese troops defended North Korea was during the Korean War.
It’s a sad day when China is the responsible party. Both Kim Jung Un and Obama are surrounded by cronies who help prop up their images as god-kings. I hope the Chinese are able to talk sense to Obama and Kim Jung Un.
