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China could accept US strike on North Korea as prelude to Chinese occupation

By China News on April 28, 2017 • ( 3 )

USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group is deployed near the Korean Peninsula, along with vessels from the Japanese navy. Photo: US Navy

A Chinese state-run newspaper said Saturday that China would not engage militarily if the US conducted a surgical strike on North Korea’s nuclear facility, noting it would only resort to diplomatic channels to oppose such a move.

Beijing’s position was stated in an editorial in the state-run Global Times, a tabloid controlled by China’s Communist Party.

“If Pyongyang’s unwavering pursuit of its nuclear program continues and Washington launches a military attack on North Korea’s nuclear facilities as a result, Beijing should oppose the move by diplomatic channels, rather than get involved through military action,” Joongang Daily translated the editorial as saying.

China have long claimed that the Korean Peninsula is stolen Chinese territory. A possible scenario is that China would allow the US to take out North Korea’s nuclear weapons, and then China would move in and occupy North Korea.

US President Donald Trump has stated that Korea once belonged to China, seemingly giving approval for China’s occupation. However, the danger is that China may decide to follow through and attempt to occupy the entire Korean Peninsula, and not just North Korea, as Trump seems to think.