According to reports, the United States has recently expressed its worries about China’s alleged missile cooperation with its wayward ally North Korea. Earlier this week, Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese Daily reported, on the basis of government information, that in August 2011, China exported four special vehicles for transportation and launching of ballistic missiles to North Korea. 1 The sale of missile launch vehicles was banned under the UN Security Council resolutions aimed at containing the North’s nuclear ambitions. 2 Those four vehicles attracted international attention during their display during a military parade in Pyongyang in April this year, as they were designed like Chinese missile vehicles. However, Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement in April denying China’s involvement in those vehicles and reiterated its firm stance against the proliferation of WMD. 3 According to the Asahi report, although the US, Japan and South Korea were aware of Chinese involvement, they decided not to raise the issue publicly as Chinese help was essential to deal with North Korea’s nuclear issue. 4

• 1. “US raises concerns with China over alleged missile ties with N. Korea”, Korea Herald, June 14, 2012, at http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20120614000198
• 2. “US overlooked China shipment of missile vehicles to North Korea”, Korea Herald, June 13, 2012, at http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20120613001084
• 3. “Reports: North Korea missile launchers came from China”, Mainichi Daily, June 13, 2012, at http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120613p2g00m0in0900...
• 4. “US raises concerns with China over alleged missile ties with N. Korea”, Korea Herald, June 14, 2012, at http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20120614000198