Chang: China likely helped North Korea develop new ballistic missile
'The Great U.S.-China Tech War' author joins 'Bill Hemmer Reports' to discuss if Kim Jong Un will launch missiles this year
North Korea's new submarine-launched ballistic missile was likely realized with help from Beijing, Gordon Chang told "Bill Hemmer Reports" Friday.
The missile was unveiled Thursday at a Pyongyang military parade overseen by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. State propaganda described them as the "world's most powerful weapon." However, the missiles have not been tested and their capabilities are unclear.
CHANG: We've got to remember that North Korea's first of those types of missiles, [unveiled on] August 6, 2016, looks very much like China's JL-1 missile, something which has been observed by missile experts around the world. The question is, how did North Korea develop a Chinese-looking missile? And the least likely explanation is they did it on their own. These guys had help. They had help from China.
When asked if North Korea would test-launch any missiles this year, Chang responded that they "probably will launch a missile or two."
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CHANG: You know, the political calculations in Pyongyang are very difficult to read. So I'm not going to be surprised by anything he [Kim] does or doesn't do.
BILL HEMMER: What's China's role in this?
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CHANG: Well, China has been supporting North Korea's missile program and its nuclear weapons program as well. China proliferated all sorts of technology to Iran through Pakistan. So essentially, you have Beijing supporting dangerous weapons programs for both the Iranians and the North Koreans, and the United States needs to come to some realization that China has been proliferating this stuff and needs to take some actions accordingly.
One other thing, Bill. China has always been busting sanctions, but in 2020, it was openly busting sanctions. And so this is a new level of provocation from the Chinese.