North Korea expected to ask China for a break at summit

by Dramelin 9:00 PM 0 comments

Transparency issues could be risk in OBOR: Academic    Monday, 27 Feb 2017 | 12:40 AM ET | 01:32 Tensions on the Korean peninsula have increased recently, with Pyongyang threatening more nuclear and missile tests, which would embarrass Beijing.
"Now is about the time to put pressure on North Korea to force them to give up nuclear weapons," a South Korean diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
Observers said nuclear and missile tests were unlikely to be the main agenda, but that the visit could improve relations between China and North Korea, who are embroiled in a war of words over Pyongyang`s nuclear and missile development and China`s banning of coal imports from the North.
"The security situation in Northeast Asia is increasingly intense.
The visit of North Korean officials brings a new opportunity to cool the tensions and pave the way for possible bilateral or multilateral talks," Zhang Tuosheng, a director at the China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies, said.
"China would not easily provide economic assistance to Pyongyang at the request of the North Korean delegation, and Beijing is likely to take this chance to ask North Korea to give up its nuclear development and missile launch plan.