North Korea and China must team up to take on ‘common US threat in Asia-Pacific’

Pyongyang’s ambassador in Beijing says Washington’s military exercises are being used to tighten its encirclement of China

As long as US troops stay in South Korea, the problem will not be eliminated, he says

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South Korean and US troops will take part in their annual summer military exercises next week. Photo: Yonhap via AP

Published: 7:00pm, 14 Aug 2021Updated: 9:13pm, 14 Aug 2021

The United States is a threat to both China and North Korea and the two neighbours need to step up cooperation to tackle it, according to Pyongyang’s envoy to Beijing.

North Korean ambassador Ri Ryong-nam said US military exercises in the region, including those with South Korea, were being used to tighten Washington’s military bonds with its allies and further strengthen its strategic encirclement against China, Chinese tabloid Global Times reported on Saturday.

“It’s not difficult to see that the US will strengthen its military activities against the Asia-Pacific countries including China. The US is the common threat to North Korea and China, and the two countries should deal with it by strengthening their cooperation,” Ri was quoted as saying.

The US is mounting a range of drills with its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, moves seen as targeting China.

The United States and South Korea began a preliminary military training drill on Tuesday ahead of their annual summer exercise next week.

Ri said the US-South Korean exercises were a signal of US hostility towards the North.

“It’s unwelcome and they will definitely pay the price for that,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

The drills are a rehearsal for war, with the purpose of launching pre-emptive strikes against Pyongyang, he added.