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Chinese Defense Minister Pledges Loyalty to Norks
He was speaking at a reception hosted by North Korea's Ministry of the People's Armed Forces. "I personally experienced the bilateral friendship sealed in blood when I was in Korea about 50 years ago as a member of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army," fighting in the Korean War on the North Korean side. His North Korean counterpart Kim Yong-chun said, "It is the firm stand of our Army and people to develop the Korea-China friendship, which has withstood all trials of history." On Nov. 17, Gen. Kim Jong-gak, the first vice director of the General Political Bureau and an influential leader in the North Korean Army, visited Beijing, where he met Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, the presumptive next leader. Kim Yong-chun visited China in June. Kim Heung-kyu, a professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, said, "China apparently feels the need to establish a channel in the North Korean military since the military's influence in the North's policy-making process is growing." The bilateral military channel was virtually disconnected in the late 1950s when Kim Il-sung conducted a mass purge of so-called pro-Chinese "Yanan faction" in the military. Prof. Nam Joo-hong of Kyonggi University said, "With the approach of the North's return to the six-party talks, it's time for China to placate the North Korean military. And it's also time for the North to seek outside military support to rely as the Seoul-Washington alliance is strong." Posted by: Steve White 2009-11-24 |
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| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=284065 |