China’s Policy On Iranian And DPRK Nuclear Issues In The United Nations Security Council (2000-2015)

The UN continues to play, an active role on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and in reducing tensions around the world. It is actively involved in negotiations and problem-solving for the world’s main nuclear issues. It is very interesting to follow and understand the ways and methods of problem-solving within the framework of the UN. The main engine and decision making body of UN is the Security Council. As a UNSC Permanent member China greatly involved in a struggle against proliferation of nuclear weapons.China has a significant influence on the negotiation processes concerning Iranian and DPRK nuclear issues; indeed, China is one of the main negotiators in these talks and opposes any action that justifies proliferation of nuclear weapons. From Beijing’s perspective, these problems can be solved only through negotiation.China remains interested in the stability of Iran as it is the sixth-largest crude oil exporter to China. Additionally, Iran is the main guarantor of the security of Persian Gulf communications, which is critical for China’s energy security. In the UNSC China plays a constructive role by trying to direct the tensions on Iran’s nuclear program to negotiations and to exclude the sanctions concerning Iran’s energy production sector. On one side, in the UNSC China was trying to weaken the sanctions, whilst trying to avoid conflict with the US who were trying to put tougher sanctions on Iran.China made important contributions toward resolving the Iranian nuclear issue. On the one hand, with the help of Russia and the EU, China could prevent the US from starting a war with Iran. On the other hand, it could press Iran to continue negotiations and make concessions. As a result, on July 14,2015, the P5+1 and Iran signed a JCPOA. Although this plan is not the final solution to Iran’s nuclear proliferation issue, it provides the opportunity for step-by-step problem solving with a roadmap to which all parties agreed during long-term negotiations. Iran, for its part, must implement the terms of conditions of the JCPOA, if not, it is greatly possible that China would shorten the imports of Iranian energy sources and enlarge the quantity from Russia, Saudi Arabia and Central Asian countries. If it happens, Iran would lose the interested side in the UNSC that always tries to exclude the embargo on import and export of Iranian energy sources.It is worth mentioning that China and Russia does not support politicians from the US and Israel, who offer to change Iran’s political system. Chinese and Russian decision makers understand, that US led political changes in Iran would totally change Iran’s foreign policy, appearing as if shifting to Western camp.In the UNSC, China voted affirmatively for resolutions regarding the DPRK. Beijing firmly stands against any steps of nuclear proliferation in the Far East. It appears that China must be interested in changing the DPRK’s regime, but it cannot allow an unstable situation in the DPRK, which would cause thousands of refugees to flee from the DPRK to China. Any type of political instability in the Korean peninsula would deepen-not solve-the political crisis in the Far East. Chinese and Russian decision makers understand that if the US leads political changes in the DPRK, it would completely change the direction of Pyongyang’s foreign policy and that the country would move into the Western camp.China and the US have different visions for the future political development of the Korean Peninsula. China would like to maintain the DPRK’s stability, whereas the US attempts to weaken it by sanctions. If it finally crashes, the US wishes to change the regime and unite it with the ROK. However, China and the US also have one common goal:to remove nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula and prevent a possible nuclear arms race in the Far East.China and Russia are responsible powers that are interested in dismantling the DPRK’s nuclear arsenal. In response to DPRK nuclear development, the ROK and Japan would also be interested in building nuclear weapons to deter the DPRK. As a result, a nuclear arms race might start in the Far East. The Russian-Chinese united resistance against the DPRK’s nuclear tests is that that after the DPRK’s nuclear tests and missile launches, the US increased its military involvement in the Far East, arguing that it must protect the ROK and Japan from the DPRK threat, but in fact it is against China and Russia as well. In the UNSC, China and Russia have attempted to maintain stability and the balance of power in the Korean Peninsula. Concurrently, along with the other main players of the international community that were involved in the negotiations on the DPRK’s nuclear issue, they continue to press the DPRK to return to the negotiating table to discuss dismantling its nuclear arsenal. In the. UNSC, Moscow and Beijing maintain pressure on the DPRK but only to the extent that its economic and political systems do not collapse.It is worth mentioning that in the UNSC, China can also issue a veto if it sees a threat against its global national interests. If China could reach a compromise with the US and vote affirmatively for resolutions regarding the Iranian and DPRK nuclear issues, in contrast, China and Russia vetoed the US initiative for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Syria. China values its new role in modern international relations and is already a global superpower. China has its own interests, not only in the Far East but also worldwide.