China Sent 150,000 Troops To Korean Border As Tension Mounts

Original is in Chinese Renminbao.com

September 3, 2003

Informed diplomatic sources said China's authority is feeling increasingly "uneasy" towards the North Korean nuclear deadlock, as tension mounts. Beijing had secretly made military arrangement according to the N Korean crisis. 150,000 PLA Armies were sent to the Sino-Korean border to substitute the local Military Police (WuJing Budui) stationing there, in preparation for any possible American attack on N Korea.

This military maneuver on the Sino-Korean border was quietly made when the six-party talk was still taking place in Beijing. A total of three Field Army Groups (total 150,000 men) are now being deployed. According to PLA organization, one Field Army Group (YeZhan JunTuan) is equivalent to 50,000 men, consisting of 3 infantry divisions, 1 heavy-armor division and 1 artillery division.

Although the Military Police is also under the PLA, replacing the border forces with those with combat capability has more implications than strengthening the border control. This is not only to prevent a sudden flood of N Korean refugees. The more important task is: a contingency plan for a possible American attack on N Korea. Once the Korean Peninsula situation lost control and the nuclear crisis cannot be solved through peaceful means, an Iraq war style massive air attack followed by ground troops advance is expected. The PLA forces at the border can avoid chaos and quickly seal the border.

After Hu Jintao took office, China's policy toward N Korea has experienced major change. According to the report, even if an American attack on N Korea becomes a reality, China's forces will abstain from joining the war. To prevent the possibility of war, China is working hard for a peaceful solution and tried not to posture herself as an opposition of America.

China and North Korea have signed a "Sino-Korean Joint-Security Pact" -- military aid must be provided when either side is under the military attack from a foreign force. To prevent getting involved in an American-Korean conflict, China is now reviewing the alteration of the terms of this treaty and has entered the deliberation stage.

China has got to convey a message to Kim Jong-Il: Do not expect China to continue with the "Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (kangmei yuanchao)" policy from 1950-53. Today's reality is: if a peaceful solution fails, Beijing will not send troops to N Korea to assist their fighting. Instead, they will send troops to close the border. They hope that this change of posture can tell Kim to stay in line with the Big Brother (China) and try to solve the stalemate with America with an earnest attitude.

Photo Caption: Hu Jintao is disgusted with Jiang Zemin's Korean policy.