Dear
Mr. Colin Powell,
Seoul, Feb. 24, 2001 --- The official newspaper of North
Korea’s ruling Korean Workers Party, Rodong Sinmun, made the claim on
Thursday’s edition, whose contents became known in Seoul Saturday. The paper denounced the new U.S.
administration for promoting the NMD as its key defense task despite
strong opposition and protests from countries. “Russia has declared that it would not sit by should the United States push ahead with its plans for the NMD,” the paper said in an editorial titled “grave activities destroying peace.” “Russia and China have already to build anti-missile defense systems near (their) eastern borders,” it said. Russia has also said India and
other Asian countries might take part in “joint actions like this
one,” the paper said. In our viewpoint, the
airplane collision incident is a watershed event in Sino-US relations as
well as in transformation of China’s international environment. In an interview on April 26, 2001,
Mr. Howard said he understood the US position on Taiwan, urging calm and
restraint and stating that Australia did not wish the tension to escalate.
“We don’t want to see any aggression by China against Taiwan,”Mr.
Howard said. Clearly, the neighboring
countries of South East Asia fear China’s growing strength and fear even
more that after driving away the US’ military influence, China will seek
hegemony in Asia. Beijing will also accelerate the
formation of a national security commission, giving it legal status and
powers. All major issues involving national security will be decided upon
by the commission, so as to prevent the formation of ad hoc policy-making
task forces at the times of crisis. Beijing will continue to exercise repressive policies and control the media within the country. It will continue to suppress defiant organizations such as Falun Gong, Zhong Gong and the China Democracy Party, and strictly control the Internet and other media. Beijing will slightly downscale
its nationalist propaganda so as not to harm its own grip on power. Beijing will maintain a tough but
non-confrontational attitude toward the US, and seek to improve relations
at an appropriate time. Given the long-term economic benefits, Beijing
will not fall out with the US to the extent of making war. Beijing will continue to woo
Taiwan’s opposition, support its candidate in Taiwan’s next
presidential election, and lobby Taiwan’s high-tech and financial
industries to invest in China. Beijing will continue to develop
its high-tech military industry, and make all-out efforts to develop its navy, air
force and space programs. China will try to enable its warships to evade
surveillance and enter the Pacific Ocean undetected. Beijing will also attract overseas
talent home to develop its high-tech industries. China will enter the WTO
and try to attract foreign capital and technology. I believe that, from now to
Bush’s China visit this fall, relations Beijing and Washington will not
be smooth. Quarrels will be inevitable.
China may maintain a tough attitude, but only verbally, given the wide gap
between the two sides’ power. Verbal pugnacity can maintain diplomatic
dignity and please nationalists within the country. Chinese leaders will choose
between war and a split in China or cooperation with the international
community and raising the living standards of the Chinese people with
capital and technology from the international community. The Chinese
regime will waver between these two choices, depending on social and
economic conditions within China, and on conflicts between the CCP, the
Chinese government and its military. The “will” could
tell us its “possibilities” or “impossibilities”. Apparently, how to support
Taiwan for defense in cross-strait conflicts should the best way for the
United States’ interest.
Yours Sincerely,
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