美中就应对朝鲜政权崩溃可能性举行磋商

choi

查尔斯•克洛弗, 美中就应对朝鲜政权崩溃可能性举行磋商. 金融时报, Dec 20, 2017
www.ftchinese.com/story/001075561

, which is translated from

Charles Clover, US and China Plan Joint Reaction to N Korea Collapse. Financial Times, Dec 20, 2017, at section 1, page 2; under the heading "Contingency Talks").

Quote:

(a) "The US and China broached the once taboo subject of how to work together in the event of a collapse of the North Korean regime, a sign that Beijing is talking seriously the threat of war on the Korean peninsula.

"Previously Beijing had refused to discuss contingency plans for a North Korea conflict, for fear of worsening an already tense relationship with Pyongyang. Such a move might also provoke members of China's nationalist-minded elite, who can regard such talks as conspiring against a communist ally.

"However, last month the first such discussions were held in Washington between the Chinese and US militaries. Major general Shao Yuanming, deputy chief of China's joint chief department, met Lieutenant General Richard Clarke of the US joint chiefs of staff for the first meeting of a new 'China-US joint staff dialogue mechanism,' according to China's ministry of defense.

"The talks had been agreed in August when General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, travelled to Beijing, according to Chinese analysts and officials.

" Whether North Korea was raised at these talks was unclear until last Tuesday [Dec 12], when Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, said during remarks at the Atlantic Council that the US had assured China that ot would not occupy North Korea in the event of a conflict.

" 'We have given the Chinese assurance we would * * * retreat back to the south of the 38th parallel,' he said, referring to the border between the two Koreas.

(b) "Meanwhile, South Korean media reported on Monday [Dec 18] that China last year conducted a military exercise where it practised taking control of nuclear facilities similar to North Korea's Yongbyon reactor.

"China's ministry of defense did not immediately respond to request for comment.

(c) "Chinese analysts say a probable Chinese response to conflict would be to occupy a zone inside the Chinese border with Norht Korea along the Yalu river, perhaps tens of kilometres deep, to stem rides of refugees.

Note:
(a) The English surname Clover is a variant of Cleaver. The latter means one who cleaves wood or is a butcher.
(b) Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center  寧邊核設施
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo ... fic_Research_Center
(located about 90 km north of Pyongyang in 寧邊郡)