Beijing: China should make North Korea pay a "heavy price" if it went ahead with its planned nuclear test, a state-run daily said today, expressing concern Pyongyang may even turn against Beijing, its main ally.
"If North Korea insists on a third nuclear test despite attempts to dissuade it, it must pay a heavy price. The assistance it will be able to receive from China should be reduced," state-run Global Times said in an editorial.
"Some Chinese scholars believe that China will face a diplomatic challenge if North Korea carries out a third nuclear test. They worry that Pyongyang will turn against China because of China`s participation in some international sanctions against it," it said.
"In the worst case scenario, the rupture that occurred in relations between China and the Soviet Union will be repeated. Such concerns are driven by a lack of confidence in China`s national strength, and they exaggerate North Korea`s diplomatic irrationality," the daily said.
"Some worry Pyongyang would completely turn to the US if it fell out with China. Such concerns are unfounded," it said, adding it is unlikely that China would punish North Korea as harshly if it went ahead with nuclear test.
"Pyongyang is important to China, but not important enough to make China give up its diplomatic principles."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said that the comments and editorial of Global Times are not in line with the position of the ministry.
China maintains that denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is necessary and insists relevant parties solve problems through negotiations, it said adding.
Beijing is willing to maintain the Sino-North Korean friendship, but Pyongyang should do the same.
China, North Korea`s main donor since the 1950-53 Korean War, has restraint Pyongyang even as one of the world`s most isolated regimes prepare for its third nuclear test.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.