Chinese along border wary of nuclear test aftermath

• Source: The Global Times
• [07:22 June 01 2009]
• Comments

By Wu Gang in Yanji and Kang Juan in Beijing

Already shaken by the artificial earthquake caused by North Korea's nuclear test last month, many Chinese living in border regions are involved in rampant discussions about what negative effects the test could have on them.

A woman and child look through binoculars toward the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, South Korea, yesterday. South Korea will host the Association of South East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Korea Commemorative Summit today, one of ASEAN’s biggest-ever diplomatic gatherings, but it is expected to be overshadowed by the growing security threat from North Korea. Photo: AFP

And some are suggesting that the Chinese government protect its people by taking a tougher stance on North Korea.

A primary school teacher in the border city of Linjiang in Jilin Province told the Global Times yesterday that she and her friends were stunned by the news that North Korea carried out a nuclear test a week ago, and they have been discussing its possible consequences for days.

“They don't have very advanced technology, so I'm afraid even they themselves can't control the aftereffects of the test,”said the teacher, who only gave her surname as Cheng.

Cheng said that she's very worried about the effects of radiation on her town. “ We are just so close,” she said.

“North Korea is declaring war on the world, and we must take a tougher stance than before, even though we have been brothers for decades,” Cheng said. “People living in the border regions must be protected.”

Liu, a resident in Linjiang, also expressed concern over North Korea's “immature technology.”
 
“I'm really worried about how they deal with the waste; might it cause radioactivity?” Liu said, adding that “the country is very backward, just like China in the 1960s.”

Living adjacent to North Korea hasn't left a good impression on Liu. “Their border guards are very rude,” Liu said. “They often beat us Chinese when we walk on the frozen Yalu River in winter.”

Liu suggested that the Chinese government exert greater pressure on North Korea “privately,” while being less harsh in its public stance. “North Korea is a very small country, but they really want to enjoy respect.”

Li Derong, 56, of Dandong in Liaoning Province, told the Global Times that complaints over the possible nuclear risks have dominated recent talks among people in his neighborhood.

“I could never figure out why North Korea, such a tiny little country, refuses to behave,” Li said. “China and Russia have always been helpful. But they (the North Korean government) exhausted their money in building their military rather than caring for the well-being of the people there.”

The test will also have a negative impact on the local economy, Li predicted. “Potential homebuyers may think about it and have second thoughts. They may go for an alternative rather than choose to expose themselves to the danger of nuclear weapons and missiles, or even a war.”

 Sun Zhe, director of the Center for US-China Relations at Tsinghua University, noted that the distance of 150 kilometers between the site of the nuclear test and China's border regions is short, and that underground water and the local ecological environment might be affected by the nuclear radiation.

A businessman who insisted on anonymity told the Global Times yesterday that he was informed by border guards that two Chinese officials entered North Korea last week to test the radiation level of the water.