China`s role in tripartite agreement

The fourth annual tripartite summit among South Korea, China and Japan Sunday drew international attention as it was held in the wake of the nuclear accident at Japan’s nuclear power plant in Fukushima and amid North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s surprise visit to China. The leaders of the three Northeast Asian countries agreed to cooperate for nuclear safety and a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. What is important is not words but practice, however. Beijing must follow through on the agreement because nothing can be achieved without substantial cooperation from China.

On the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the three leaders expressed fears over the North’s uranium enrichment program and stressed the importance of creating the conditions for serious inter-Korean dialogue and the resumption of the six-party nuclear talks. If Beijing continues to give the impression of protecting Pyongyang while urging the necessity of a nuclear-free peninsula, the North will not give up its nuclear weapons development. China should reflect on its commitment to the tripartite summit in U.N. Security Council resolutions.

If Beijing really wants a nuclear-free peninsula, now is the time to show its seriousness. Beijing should encourage its Stalinist neighbor to become a normal country through denuclearization, reform and opening. When Kim Jong Il visited China in May last year, the reclusive leader asked Chinese President Hu Jintao to provide high-tech arms, including 30 cutting-edge fighter-bombers. Beijing must decline Pyongyang’s request on military cooperation, which could undermine peace in Northeast Asia as well as the Korean Peninsula. This is key to the tripartite agreement and China`s responsibility as a permanent member of the Security Council.

When radioactive materials were leaked at the Fukushima nuclear plant in the wake of Japan`s massive earthquake, Tokyo failed to provide its neighbors with accurate information on the accident. Though belated, the three countries in a welcome agreement concurred to establish an emergency notification system, enhance cooperation among experts, and share information in the event of emergencies. If nuclear power generation is inevitable, its safety should be strengthened and damage in the event of a nuclear accident must be minimized.

All of China’s 13 nuclear plants in operation are in its southeastern coastal regions. The country is also building 27 new such facilities. If nuclear accidents occur in China, Korea and Japan will be directly affected because wind mostly blows from the west to the east. To uphold the tripartite agreement`s spirit, a concrete cooperation system should be established as soon as possible with Beijing`s active cooperation. In addition to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, China must pay attention to the safety of the North’s nuclear facilities.