China Has Little Pull Over North Korea

Richard Weitz, China-U.S. Focus March 26, 2012

style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Chinese officials have joined other foreign governments in opposing North Korea’s plans to test a long-range rocket that could also serve as a delivery vehicle for a nuclear warhead. The Chinese outspokenness on this issue is unusual since, during past provocations by the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK), Beijing adopted a much lower profile.

The position of the People’s Republic of China is complex but understandable. China’s leaders fear that these ostentatious displays of North Korea’s improving missile and nuclear capacities will further encourage the United States, Japan, Taiwan and other states to develop missile defenses that in turn will weaken the effectiveness of China’s own ballistic missile arsenal.

China Has Little Pull Over North Korea

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