China's Policy on North Korean Nuclear Tests: Changed and Unchanged

Abstract

North Korea enforced four times of nuclear test in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016. Continuous nuclear tests are influencing a historically special relationship of China and North Korea. After the third nuclear test, arguments on whether or not there is any shift in Chinas policy towards North Korea reached its peak. By analyzing Chinas responses on North Korea after each nuclear test, this paper analyzes the changed and unchanged position of China. Main subjects of analysis are (1) Chinas official position (2) Chinas attitude in the international society such as in the United Nations (3) Chinas substantial participation in political and economic sanctions (4) high-level meetings and other political exchanges (5) acceptance of criticism on North Korea in China. Although some vivid changes are observed in Chinas tactical responses, the strategic judgment on North Korea stays consistent. The reason for the unchanged strategic judgment is fundamentally based on the lack of mutual trust in the Sino-US relations, Chinas demand for leverage on the Korean Peninsula and possible domestic problems in China. China will continue to show duplicity on North Koreas nuclear tests since China, as a major power, is demanded with responsibility from the international society but at the same time, intends to maintain the stability of the North Korean regime. As a result, as long as North Koreas nuclear come within multilateral category not bilateral, as long as it does not directly impact Chinas core interests, and as long as the competitive Sino-US relations continue lacking trust, Chinas fundamental policy will stay consistent.