North Korea has threatened "all-out war" over South Korea's conclusion that North Korea was responsible for the sinking of the Cheonan. Two big reasons for South Korea's conclusions are 1) "a few small submarines and a mother ship supporting them left a North Korean naval base in the West Sea two to three days prior to the attack," and 2) "on May 15 [a South Korean] dredging ship brought up the contra-rotating propellers, propulsion motor and a steering section of a CHT-02D North Korean torpedo, a 1.7 ton weapon with an explosive weight of up to 250kg."
Has anyone considered the distinct possibility that China is North Korea's only friend not only because it is a next-door neighbor, but also because the USA and many other countries feel obligated to accept China's exports in order to get it to intercede with North Korea? In other words, North Korea is an important source of leverage to prevent the civilized world from closing its borders to Chinese exports. China has a vested interest in keeping the North Korean bogeyman alive and well.
"China is not directly involved, so it should not take a stance on either side or express views on the incident," said Zhang Liangui, a North Korean expert at the Central Party School, where Communist Party leaders are trained. Or maybe he realizes that a puppet master need not worry over the actions of his prized marionette.
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