The United Nations Security Council’s 15-0 vote to impose a new set of sanctions on North Korea somewhat disguises the critical role played by the Russia-China strategic partnership, the “RC” at the core of the BRICS group.
The new sanctions are pretty harsh. They include a 30% reduction on crude and refined oil exports to the DPRK; a ban on exports of natural gas; a ban on all North Korean textile exports (which have brought in US$760 million on average over the past three years); and a worldwide ban on new work permits for DPRK citizens (there are over 90,000 currently working abroad.)
But this is far from what US President Donald Trump’s administration was aiming at, according to the draft Security Council resolution leaked last week. That included an asset freeze and travel ban on Kim Jong-un and other designated DPRK officials, and covered additional “WMD-related items,” Iraqi sanctions-style. It also authorized UN member states to interdict and inspect North Korean vessels in international waters (which amounts to a declaration of war); and, last but not least, a total oil embargo.
“RC” made it clear it would veto the resolution under these terms. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the US’ diminishing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Moscow would only accept language related to “political and diplomatic tools to seek peaceful ways of resolution.” On the oil embargo, President Vladimir Putin said, “cutting off the oil supply to North Korea may harm people in hospitals or other ordinary citizens.”
“RC” priorities are clear: “stability” in Pyongyang; no regime change; no drastic alteration of the geopolitical chessboard; no massive refugee crisis.
That does not preclude Beijing from applying pressure on Pyongyang. Branch offices of the Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China in the northeastern border city of Yanji have banned DPRK citizens from opening new accounts. Current accounts are not frozen yet, but deposits and remittances have been suspended.
To get to the heart of the matter, though, we need to examine what happened last week at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok – which happens to be only a little over 300 km away from the DPRK’s Punggye-ri missile test site.
It’s all about the Trans-Korean Railway
In sharp contrast to the Trump administration and the Beltway’s bellicose rhetoric, what “RC” proposes are essentially 5+1 talks (North Korea, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea, plus the US) on neutral territory, as confirmed by Russian diplomats. In Vladivostok, Putin went out of his way to defuse military hysteria and warn that stepping beyond sanctions would be an “invitation to the graveyard.” Instead, he proposed business deals.
Largely unreported by Western corporate media, what happened in Vladivostok is really ground-breaking. Moscow and Seoul agreed on a trilateral trade platform, crucially involving Pyongyang, to ultimately invest in connectivity between the whole Korean peninsula and the Russian Far East.
South Korean Prime Minister Moon Jae-in proposed to Moscow to build no less than “nine bridges” of cooperation: “Nine bridges mean the bridges of gas, railways, the Northern Sea Route, shipbuilding, the creation of working groups, agriculture and other types of cooperation.”
Crucially, Moon added that the trilateral cooperation would aim at joint projects in the Russian Far East. He knows that “the development of that area will promote the prosperity of our two countries and will also help change North Korea and create the basis for the implementation of the trilateral agreements.”
Adding to the entente, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha both stressed “strategic cooperation” with “RC”.
Geo-economics complements geo-politics. Moscow has also approached Tokyo with the idea of building a bridge between the nations. That would physically link Japan to Eurasia – and the vast trade and investment carousel offered by the New Silk Roads, aka, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU). It would also complement the daring plan to link a
Trans-Korean Railway to the Trans-Siberian one.
Seoul wants a rail network that will physically connect it with the vast Eurasian land bridge, which makes perfect business sense for the fifth largest export economy in the world. Handicapped by North Korea’s isolation, South Korea is in effect cut off from Eurasia by land. The answer is the Trans-Korean Railway.
Moscow is very much for it, with Putin noting how “we could
deliver Russian pipeline gas to Korea and integrate the power lines and railway systems of Russia, the Republic of Korea and North Korea. The implementation of these initiatives will be not only economically beneficial, but will also help build up trust and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
“We are not opposed to the trilateral cooperation [with Russia and South Korea], but this is not an appropriate situation for this to be implemented”
Moscow’s strategy, like Beijing’s, is connectivity: the only way to integrate Pyongyang is to keep it involved in economic cooperation via the Trans-Korean-Trans-Siberian connection, pipelines and the development of North Korean ports.
The DPRK’s delegation in Vladivostok seemed to agree. But not yet. According to North Korea’s Minister for External Economic Affairs, Kim Yong Jae: “We are not opposed to the trilateral cooperation [with Russia and South Korea], but this is not an appropriate situation for this to be implemented.” That implies that for the DPRK the priority is the 5+1 negotiation table.
Still, the crucial point is that both Seoul and Pyongyang went to Vladivostok, and talked to Moscow. Arguably the key question – the armistice that did not end the Korean War – has to be broached by Putin and the Koreans, without the Americans.
While the sanctions game ebb and flows, the larger strategy of “RC” is clear – a drive aimed at Eurasian connectivity. The question is how to convince the DPRK to play along.
Where would Asia Times be without the "SMART" on point articles by Mr Escobar??
The world notes the principled stance of Russia and China in approving the additional sanctions. Furthermore their pragmatic approach to engage North Korea be be a partner in economic development will convince North Korea to amend its ways. USA needs to stop its beligerent threats, withdraw from the Korean peninsula in accordance with the wishes of South Korea and the world.
Pepe, I like your articles, but Moon Jae-in South Korean President, not Prime Minister.
"The question is how to convince the DPRK to play along."
Isn’t it obvious?
What do the adults in the room do when 2 big babies who can’t stand each other keeps on screaming at the top of their lungs making everyone’s time miserable? Top that off they are both reaching for their poop ready to throw at each other across the room and someone might get hit in the face in the process…..well you separate them so they cannot see each other or reach each other. One of the babies is local and cannot be moved but luckily, the other one can be. So why don’t we pick up the none local baby and throw him out of the window along with the bathwater – just kidding. But yeah, take the none local baby out of the room please so everyone can have some quiet space to deal with the local baby, doh!
Behold a Pale Horse, and its Rider is Death
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts
Two of America’s most populous states, Texas and Florida, are in hurricane ruins, and Washington is fomenting more wars.
The US national debt is now over $20 trillion, and Washington is fomenting more wars.
The entire world is helping Washington foment wars—including two targeted countries themselves—Russia and China—both of which are helping Washington foment more wars. Believe it or not, both Russia and China voted with Washington on the UN Security Council to impose more and harsher sanctions on North Korea, a country guilty of nothing but a desire to have the means to protect itself from the US and not become yet another Washington victim like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Serbia, and Ukraine overthrown in a US coup and now poverty-stricken.
I once thought that Russia and China were checks on Washington’s unilateralism, but apparently not. Both governments have been knuckled under by Washington and both voted to punish North Korea for striving to be sufficiently armed to protect its sovereignty from Washington.
Why are Russia and China repeating their same mistake that they made when they supported Washington’s no-fly UN resolution for Libya, a resolution that Washington and NATO stood on its head when they launched air attacks that helped the CIA organized “jihadists” overthrow Libya’s progressive government and murder Gaddafi?
Russia knows that it is surrounded by US nuclear and military bases. So does China. The question is: have Russia and China capitulated out of fear? Or is their cooperation with Washington a ruse while they prepare their own strike on Washington, or are the two misguided governments trying to cooperate with Washington a la sanctions so as to avoid having to confront a US military attack on North Korea?
It requires much competence to confront evil, and there is probably more evil in Washington than there is competence in Russia and China, two countries interested in being rich to an extent that it might cost them their sovereignty and existence.
When you see such potentially powerful countries as Russia and China collapse under Washington’s pressure in the UN Security Council, it makes you wonder if the various analyses of Washington’s many weaknesses are real, and if they are real, if Russia and China are aware of them.
How does one go about explaining why two countries, whose sovereignty is in the way of Washington’s world hegemony, help their known enemy bully yet another small country, especially one in their orbit of influence? How can Russia complain of sanctions against Russia based on nothing but Washington’s propaganda when Russia supports sanctions against North Korea based on Washington’s propaganda?
Russia and China have nothing to fear from North Korean nuclear weapons. Indeed, no one does except a country that attacks North Korea. What is the explanation for Russia and China lining up with Washington’s foreign policy against North Korea when Russia and China know that Washington’s foreign policy is hostile to Russia and China?
Just the other day Washington announced that it was increasing its navy warships in the South China Sea to make sure China doesn’t think the South China Sea is Chinese, instead of American, territorial waters. Just the other day more election interfering charges were leveled against Russia. This time Facebook was the mechanism by which Russia stole the US presidential election.
These positions taken by Washington are absurd. Yet, they are becoming the reality. The frightening development is that the entire world, the entirely of the UN and Security Council are now captured by Washington in The Matrix. It seems that not even Russia and China can any longer see their own national interest.
Russia and China are working hand-in-hand with Washington toward their own demise.
It is becoming biblical. Washington the anti-Christ is subverting all good on earth.
Behold, a Pale Horse, and its Rider is Washington.
I like the fact that Russia and China are finding smart ways to deal with problems which is counter balancing American bravado.
However I still have faith in the US and give it credit where credit is due.
World War 2 wasn’t created by America and its presence in Asia is definitely not the one and only reason for all the problems of the world.
US history is a complicated a story as any and it certainly hasn’t been all bad.
If they do choose to withdraw from Asia I’m sure it will be on their own terms and with alot of respect where it is due.
Yes, USA contributed greatly after WW2 but it seems the arms sellers have taken over, leaving Asia would be better for peace.
Low Ngee Kiat which arms sellers are you referring to?
Have you done a comprehensive study of the effects of US withdrawal from Asia or are you basing your idea on random opinions?
I don’t think I will ever be able to know all the facts about what is best and what isn’t but personally I find too much anti US sentiment becoming a norm amongst alot of people and I think they shouldn’t be so quick to criticize.
Especially countries with whom US soldiers have fought alongside and helped to develop.
Now that the US has expended alot across the world with a big part of the goal being to make the world safe and to lead it, which IS a noble cause despite all the messes they have made in the process I just think respect where respect is due.
I find this news exciting, as it’s good for all concerned.
It’s a marvelous plan, and I hope that it is implemented rapidly.
VIVA Escobar!
Everybody here seems to think North Korea is as evil as the United States, which is plainly idiotic. If NKorea wishes to discuss its own security first, that is their prerogative, justified by a long history of America aggression. Every party knows that. North Korea is not a deranged nation, nor is Kim insane, but simply rational in the face of constant threats and provocations from Washington. The main obstacle to the normalisation of the Korean peninusla is and has always been Washington, not Pyiongyang or the demonised Nokorean ruler du jour.
Personally I do not like Beijing/Moscow’s appeasement of Washington, joining in the kicking of NKorea, although I reckon it could be to give Washington a fig leaf of respectability, which it does not bloody deserve!
Negociating with North Korea has been tried. Even the most successful attempt by the Clinton administration ended with everybody eating a big shit sandwich.
Ken N. Amend it’s ways? And end up like Iraq and Libta? Or have a North Korea 2 like N Korea 1 in 1950? Or your Vietnam?? When Kim’s grandpa refused to toe the mad Murikan line in 1950, Truman wanted to nuke N Korea.. He didn’t but still managed to kill millions of Koreans, many, if not most, with “oceans” of napalm which the US air-force “loved”, referring to it as the “wonder weapon” for its ability to wipe out whole cities of people. US “intent was to destroy Korean society down to the individual constituent”.
Cities were destroyed, civilians burned to death and blown to bits with zero “tactical or strategic value”. Killing was an “end in itself”. Not one building higher than 1 floor remained in N Korea.
The US soon began bombing the North’s major dams (which were “akin to many large dams in the United States”) to release hundreds of millions of tons of water and “destroy 250,000 tons of rice that would soon be harvested.”
A stunned anti-Communist reporter noted
‘”Everything which moved in North Korea was a military target,
peasants in the fields often were machine gunned by pilots who, this was
my impression, amused themselves to shoot the targets which moved.”
There were simply “no more cities in North Korea.”’
The US ultimately refrained from using nuclear weapons..as there were no large concentrations of humans remaining.