Chinese Foreign Policy: A Chronology April - June 2009 - Defence ...

8 May 2009 Hong Kong - Hu Jintao and US President Obama conducted a telephoneconversation on 6 May, according to a report by Zhongguo Tongxun She. In the meantime,Chinese and US ships had a standoff in the Yellow Sea. An AFP report said that thetelephone conversation was the first direct conversation announced to the public after theChinese and US heads of state met each other during the London G20 Summit, and it wasalso the first conversation conducted after a tense situation emerged in Chinese and USnaval relations. According to the article both avoided mentioning the South Sea incident: “HuJintao and Obama exchanged views on China-US relations, the financial crisis, and influenzaA/H1N1.” The article considered the maritime incidents as being related to US fears ofChina’s growing strength:“Recent maritime frictions are directly related to US frequent spying attempts to probeinto China's naval strength and the sea chart. These also have something to do withthe change in China's sea defence gradually becoming strong.”A concluding remark noted the restrained approach in Beijing to the the 10th anniversary ofthe bombing of the Chinese Embassy in former Yugoslavia:“There have been very few responses within China. Only Huanqiu Shibao, anewspaper on international current affairs affiliated with Renmin Ribao, publishedserial articles commemorating the 10th anniversary of the embassy bombing in theSerbian locality, as well as articles on the relevant personnel's recollections of theincident.”8 May 2009 Beijing - China is likely to send a special envoy to the DPRK to act as a"mediator" and make efforts for the resumption of the six-party talks, according to aninformed source reported by Hong Kong-based news agency Zhongguo Tongxun She. Thespecial envoy to the DPRK has not yet been chosen; however “some reports said that Chinawill send a senior official from the CPC Central Committee's International LiaisonDepartment, not from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” If this is the case, International LiaisonDepartment Director Wang Jiarui is suggested as being the most likely candidate. Heapparently:“held friendly talks with Kim Jong Il when he visited the DPRK in January this year.He left a deep impression on Kim Jong Il. He is a most desired candidate for thespecial envoy to the DPRK.”Nevertheless, China maintains that the key to getting the DPRK to return to the six-partytalks is an improvement in DPRK-ROK relations. The article also outlined China’s strategicdilemma vis-à-vis the DPRK:“Public opinion pointed out that the DPRK's pursuit of tough measures for years hasforced China - a country that has long understood and helped the DPRK - into adilemma. Apart from enduring US and Japan's pressure, China's national security hasalso faced great threats. Whether China will adjust its strategy and policy towards theDPRK has drawn the attention of various countries in the world.”Recently China and Japan agreed to strengthen cooperation and restart the six-party talkson the DPRK nuclear issue. Earlier, the DPRK openly indicated that it refused to have Japanin the six-party talks. In recognition of this, the article suggested that four-party talks might bea temporary solution: “China, the ROK, the DPRK, and the United States may conduct fourpartytalks, but this may evoke Japan's dissatisfaction.”9 May 2009 Edinburgh - State Council Vice Premier Wang Qishan, currently in the UK on avisit, met Alex Salmond, first minister of Scotland.61