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Major General: Four Bottom Lines for the North Korean Nuclear Issue

On February 24, 2016, Luo Yuan, a retired People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Major General and Chinese military theorist, published an opinion article on Huanqiu, a People’s Daily publication, on the subject of North Korea’s nuclear program. He stated that China must have four bottom lines when handling North Korea. 

The first is that any chaos in North Korea cannot spread to the Chinese side of the Yalu River. "Once unrest starts on the peninsula, the safety of the China-Korea border will be the first thing that is endangered. Why should China pay for the irresponsible act of someone else?" 
The second is that any military action that North Korea takes cannot take place beyond the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Luo stated that the DMZ was the result of the Korean Armistice Agreement that multiple parties signed and also that North Korea’s research on and development of long-range offensive and defensive weapons and related military deployment and actions violate the Korean Armistice Agreement. 
The third is that North Korea cannot have nuclear weapons. Luo stated that, although North Korea has the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, such a right cannot be abused. Countries, particularly the United States, that want North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, should compensate it for such abandonment and should resume the Agreed Framework. 
The last is that any sanctions cannot be excessive and cannot harm China’s national interest. 
Source: Huanqiu, February 24, 2016 
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/1152/2016-02/8592564.html