By Jin Kai
Once again, South Korea’s “middle power” strategy is tested by conflicting pulls from China and the United States.
The question of whether South Korean President Park Geun-hye should attend the military parade in Beijing on September 3 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II has become the subject of (over)speculation in the media and among opinion leaders across the region.
As an example, Japan’s Kyodo News Agency reported that Washington delivered a message to Seoul, saying that the United States does not want Park to attend the coming parade in Beijing out of concern that her attendance could damage to the U.S.-ROK alliance and U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation. But according to China News Service, a South Korean official denied that report in a telephone interview.
On the other hand, Shi Yinhong, Director of the Center on American Studies at Renmin University in Beijing, told Global Times that Washington’s real intention could be to “isolate” Russian President Vladimir Putin, not China. Shi pointed out that “after the Ukraine crisis, the United States does not want its allies to appear at any international venue where Putin also appears.” Putin has already confirmed his attendance at the parade.
Read the full story at The Diplomat