China sets the rules in the North Korean nuclear crisis

The Chinese president vowed for diplomacy as an effective approach towards conflict resolution

During the 9th BRICS summit, China’s president, Xi Jinping, warned that a “dark shadow looms” over the world after decades of peace. The leader claimed that “the flame of war” could only be extinguished through dialogue.

China has always been a North Korean ally and its most important trade partner. However, Xi has showed that the Asian superpower doesn’t agree with Pyongyang’s nuclear tests. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said that the country “opposes and strongly condemns” this operations.

Xi’s speech presents a different approach when compared to what Donald Trump publicly stated. The United States’ president affirmed that he “will see if military intervention is needed”. Experts think that China fears that an increase in US’s troops may affect the world status quo.  

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, backed his Chinese colleague, which means that despite their rejection towards the Korean nuclear arms, both are against an American military interventions in the peninsula. The lack of support of these two global superpowers may veto an aggressive UN Security Council’s declaration.

According to the North Korean agency, KCNA, the regime has tested its first hydrogen bomb, which is more powerful than a regular atomic bomb.

The BRICS summit hosts the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The country bloc represents over 2.965 million people (43% of the world population), 30% of the world GDP, and 17% share in the world trade.

Latin American Post | Santiago Gómez Hernández

Copy edited by Susana Cicchetto