Defense Secretary Robert Gates challenged China to deal with the short-term question of how to respond to antagonistic North Korea and the longer-term issue of whether Beijing’s expanding military could establish stronger ties with the U.S.
Asian nations cannot stand by in the face of North Korea’s alleged sinking of a South Korean warship, Gates said Saturday during an international security summit dominated by questions about North Korea.
“To do nothing would set the wrong precedent,” he said.
The U.S. and South Korea want China to back a new international condemnation or punishment of North Korea.
See also “China is not an enemy, says Gates” from the Hindu and “Gates snub linked to arms sale – expert” from People’s Daily.
