Unification in China and Korea: Implications for Regional Security

WITH THE UNIFICATION OF VIETNAM IN 1975, CHINA AND KOREA REMAIN THE ONLY DIVIDED NATIONS IN ASIA. KIM II SUNG'S HASTY VISIT TO BEIJING ON THE EVE OF HANOI'S VICTORY OVER THE SAIGON REGIME AND HIS PROVOCATIVE STATEMENT THAT PYONGYANG WOULD ATTACK THE SOUTH IF A REVOLUTION BROKE OUT THERE HAD AROUSED APPREHENSION AMONG THE ASIA-PACIFIC NATIONS ABOUT NORTH KOREA'S INTENTIONS. BEIJING, HOWEVER, WAS CAUTIOUS AND REFRAINED FROM COMMITTING CHINA TO SUPPORT KIM'S CALL FOR REUNIFYING KOREA THROUGH REVOLUTION OR SUBVERSION. YET IN RECENT YEARS THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAS STEPPED UP ITS DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) AND HAS APPEALED TO THE NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN TO RETURN TO THE 'EMBRACE OF THE MOTHERLAND.' THE SEOUL AND TAIBEI GOVERNMENTS, NOT SURPRISINGLY, ARE MORE INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO. THERE IS NO SIGN OF BREAKTHROUGH IN THE CURRENT STALEMATES IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT AND ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA.