China Ridiculed for Lack of Action Against North Korea

Following a missile test reported by North Korea on Sunday, China is being ridiculed for not having taken a stronger stance toward Pyongyang.

The missile test was even ordered to be held a day in advance falling on one of China’s biggest holidays—the eve of Lunar New Year.

“It’s a bad result, it’s a humiliation,” said Cheng Xiaohe, an associate professor of international relations at Renmin University. “I think Kim Jong-un made many mistakes, and this is one of his major mistakes.”

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service says the test reflected the country’s technological advances and that it could bring the nation closer to developing a ballistic missile program.

United Nations Security Council resolutions ban the country form developing such technology.

The test triggered an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council where Japan and the US called on China to take action against North Korea.

So far, China has opposed major sanctions aimed at crippling North Korea by harming its oil trade. China only has supported measures banning the sale or transfer of weapons equipment and technology that may help North Korea strengthen its nuclear weapons program.

North Korea has tested four nuclear devices with the last one being conducted last month.

Across Weibo, “China’s Twitter,” users ridiculed the Chinese government’s lack of action against North Korea.

One user wrote, “I have been racking my head but I simply can’t figure out why we have to offend everybody in the world to defend a rogue regime.”

In a Weibo poll conducted Friday and Saturday, two-thirds of the 8,000 respondents said they supported a US strike against North Korea’s nuclear program.

Official censors deleted the poll by Sunday afternoon.

In response to the latest missile test, South Korea’s Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-hyun said joint military exercises with the US codenamed Key Resolve and Foal Eagle would be larger this year.

South Korea also said it will begin negotiations with the US over deploying a missile defense system called Thaad, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense.

The US has announced tightening sanctions on North Korea but did not elaborate on the details. Following the emergency Security Council meeting, diplomats said a draft resolution was under negotiation.