Seoul fears US-China trade war distracting Beijing from North Korea denuclearisation: Moon adviser

Moon Chung-in, special adviser to South Korea’s president, says the trade dispute is hampering Xi Jinping’s involvement in talks with Pyongyang

He also warns of a ‘new cold war’ bloc pitting Russia, China and North Korea against Washington should US-China ties worsen

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The US-China trade war is having a “negative” impact on international efforts to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear arsenal, says Moon Chung-in. Photo: AP

Published: 10:12pm, 28 May 2019Updated: 10:12pm, 28 May 2019

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s special adviser on Tuesday raised concerns that the protracted trade dispute between the United States and China was hobbling Beijing’s involvement in addressing the North Korea nuclear issue.

“I personally believe the Chinese leadership could take a more active role in facilitating the resolution of the North Korea issue,” Moon Chung-in told the South China Morning Post at a press briefing in Seoul. “I think the trade conflict between Beijing and Washington has hindered President Xi Jinping’s leadership in resolving the North Korean nuclear problem.”

He added that the dispute, which has sent stock markets into a tailspin and dampened global economic sentiment, was having a “negative” impact on international efforts to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear arsenal in return for diplomatic and economic gains.

Denuclearisation negotiations between the US and North Korea broke down following two summits – last June in Singapore and this February in Hanoi – with Washington turning down Pyongyang’s call for the lifting of most of sanctions in return for the abolition of its main nuclear site in Yongbyon.

But Joseph DeTrani, former special envoy to the now-defunct Beijing-sponsored six-party talks on denuclearising North Korea, said it would be a “terrible mistake” to link the trade dispute with the nuclear issue, instead of seeing them as separate matters.

China was very heavily invested in the North Korea issue, had “done a lot of very lifting and continues to do so”, he said at the same briefing at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club.

Moon Chung-in, special adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Photo: AP

“I just don’t think anything is going to move us off the path [toward resolving the nuclear issue],” DeTrani said. “I do think the trade issue will be resolved … There is always friction and tension but I think that will be managed.”

Seoul fears US-China trade war distracting Beijing from North Korea denuclearisation: Moon adviser

Moon Chung-in, special adviser to South Korea’s president, says the trade dispute is hampering Xi Jinping’s involvement in talks with Pyongyang He also warns of a ‘new cold war’ bloc pitting Russia, China and North Korea against Washington should US-China ties worsen

Moon Chung-in, special adviser to South Korea’s president, says the trade dispute is hampering Xi Jinping’s involvement in talks with Pyongyang

He also warns of a ‘new cold war’ bloc pitting Russia, China and North Korea against Washington should US-China ties worsen