(REOPENS FGN 22)

The six-party talks, a negotiation mechanism that includes North Korea, South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, were launched in 2003 but stalled in December 2008. North Korea quit the talks in April 2009. Though China has not said whether it would back any further sanctions against Pyongyang at the UN Security Council, its strong reaction today was seen as shedding its ambivalent stand towards North Korea's new leader Kim Jong Un who had shown signs of striking an independent stand refusing to heed China's "advice" in carrying out missile tests as well as nuclear tests. There are also apprehensions in China that a fully nuclear North Korea could turn against it though it is solely dependent on economic aid from China and USD 2 billion bilateral trade. The North Korean test came as China is in the middle of a prolonged holiday since February 10 to celebrate the week long spring festival marking the Chinese New Year. Beijing had inkling of the preparations by the North Korea to carry out the test much in defiance of the international community, including China which in recent times is taking a strident stand against its ally much to the surprise of the diplomatic community. A February 6 editorial by the state-run Global Times in an editorial titled "China should not fear North Korean disputes" said Beijing should make Pyongyang pay heavy price if it went ahead with planned nuclear test. "Some Chinese scholars believe that China will face a diplomatic challenge if North Korea carries out a third nuclear test. They worry that Pyongyang will turn against China because of China's participation in some international sanctions against it," the editorial said. "Some worry Pyongyang would completely turn to the US if it fell out with China. Such concerns are unfounded," it said. The daily said it's unlikely China would punish North Korea as harshly if it went ahead with nuclear test. "However, if North Korea insists on a third nuclear test despite attempts to dissuade it, it must pay a heavy price. The assistance it will be able to receive from China should be reduced. The Chinese government should make this clear beforehand to shatter any illusions Pyongyang may have," it said. The editorial said "Pyongyang is important to China, but not important enough to make China give up its diplomatic principles". China maintains that denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is necessary and insists relevant parties solve problems through negotiations, it said adding China is willing to maintain the Sino-North Korean friendship, but Pyongyang should do the same. "The two should have same concerns over the possibility the relationship might break down, which would be of no benefit to Pyongyang. North Korea would face an even worse situation, but China could find some ways to compensate for geopolitical losses," it said.