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Chinese daily suggests Beijing's real intentions

Posted February. 06, 2016 07:20,   

Updated February. 06, 2016 07:26

한국어

The Huanqiu Shibao (the Global Times), a Chinese newspaper under the Renmin Ribao (the People's Daily), the organ of the Communist Party of China, criticized U.S. President Barack Obama in Friday's editorial for being "narrow-minded" and not having the quality of a leader of a great power. The comment was a reaction to Obama's remark at the signing ceremony for the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: “TPP allows America – and not countries like China – to write the rules of the road in the 21st century." It is not uncommon for China's state-run news media to criticize other countries. However, it looks odd for them to launch a personal attack on the leader of another country. As the Huanqiu Shibao often discloses the naked face of China's nationalism, it attracts more attention than the Renmin Ribao.

The Huanqiu Shibao has also expressed its views on the Korean Peninsula frequently. Immediately after North Korea's fourth nuclear test, the newspaper editorially criticized Pyongyang, saying that the nuclear weapons could not become a breakthrough that would change the North's national destiny. Still, the daily said that Beijing would oppose a U.N. Security Council resolution that would "kill" the North Korean regime. In particular, the paper looked down on South Korea by saying that Seoul was just a piece of the game of "go" for the U.S. Regarding Seoul's consideration of the proposed deployment of the terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) system, the newspaper outspokenly said that the deployment would put China's security interest in jeopardy.

The newspaper has not always spoken for the North. Regarding Pyongyang's moves to launch a long-range missile, the daily warned that the North's approaching the limit of danger and that Pyongyang would end up paying new prices for its launch. The paper faithfully conveys – sometimes a direct or unrefined manner -- China's position that Beijing would not support strong sanctions against the North while criticizing in a big picture Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development.

Many people in the diplomatic community in Beijing view that the Huanqiu Shibao serves as a mirror that reflects Beijing's inner intention toward Washington, Tokyo and Seoul. As every word in the paper's editorial is put under Beijing's censorship, it can never get out of the authorities' position. The lack of communication between South Korea and China is frustrating as Seoul has to figure out Beijing's intention through such a newspaper at a time when Pyongyang's provocations are escalating tensions on the peninsula.



한기흥기자 eligius@donga.com