[Editorial] Expectations of North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Il’s Visit to China

It is desirable that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il’s visit China to discuss the resolution of the crisis over the North’s nuclear weapons program. We should not have a negative opinion about talks between North Korea and China as long as their talks are not over military cooperation to threaten nations in the area. If North Korea makes a breakthrough in the current crisis through China, it will be a helpful stabilization of the Korean Peninsula.

However, economic cooperation with China is not the only thing that can revive North Korea’s impoverished economy. North Korea probably knows that China’s assistance is limited, compared with results from its cooperation with South Korea, Japan and the U.S. To broaden North Korea’s position in international society, North Korea should first throw away the fixed idea that only China can help North Korea.

The nuclear issue is also a roadblock for North Korea to talk with nations broadly. North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-Il also knows that this visit to China is different from his visit of three years ago, when there was no the nuclear issue. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney stressed that North Korea should not take additional measures to aggravate the nuclear tension. China should notify North Korea of this thinking of the U.S. and help North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il decide the nuclear issue wisely.

North Korea’s nuclear abandonment is the best counter plan to restore North Korea’s economy. North Korea’s leader has to give this promise at this summit meeting and reopen the six-party nuclear talks at least.

Although no one knows Kim’s intensions behind his three visits to China since 2000, it seems that Kim is likely modeling a plan from China. We expect that his visit to China will give him a good opportunity to see the changes in the world. He should especially catch the meaning of political stabilization and economic prosperity in China since General Secretary Hu Jintao took office.