New York (CNN) -- The United States and China could play a crucial role in helping finally to resolve the conflict that plagues the Korean Peninsula, says analyst Fareed Zakaria. In one of the most violent incidents in decades, North Korea shelled a South Korean island Tuesday, killing four people. North Korea accused the South of provoking the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island by holding a military exercise in the Yellow Sea. And South Korea responded by charging that the North's actions were a "definite military provocation." In an interview with CNN, Zakaria said a long-term solution to the Korean conflict would require high-level secret talks aimed at assuring the government of China that if the two Koreas were reunified, it would not be faced with a nuclear-armed U.S. ally on its border.
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Fareed Zakaria: China has tremendous influence over North Korea
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He says China supplies much of the North's vital supplies and can play a positive role
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Zakaria says U.S. needs to work secretly with China to bring an end to conflict
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He says U.S. assurances could go long way toward gaining Chinese OK for reunification
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He said China "has the power to make the North Koreans pay a very, very high price were they not to listen to the @placeholder, because the Chinese provide the vital food and fuel that keeps the country alive.
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He said China "has the power to make the North Koreans pay a very, very high price were they not to listen to the Chinese, because the @placeholder provide the vital food and fuel that keeps the country alive.
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Combined with the sinking of that @placeholder ship, it is the most provocative thing the North Koreans have done in years in terms of instigating hostilities.
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CNN: There's been a suggestion by some that @placeholder is really hoping to force the issue about getting direct talks with the United States rather than be part of a six-nation diplomatic process.
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Zakaria: The Chinese have been pretty helpful on managing the situation, making sure that it doesn't spiral out of control, but we haven't been able to get to the next level with the Chinese, which is to say that the @placeholder sustain this regime.
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Zakaria: Right, so we make clear that in the event of a unification we understand the @placeholder concern, and we would try to respond to it, without obviously in any way jeopardizing the historical relationship with South Korea.
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We should talk about those concerns now, and would you be willing to get tough on @placeholder nukes and North Korean behavior?"