Breaking Isolation and Distancing from a Buffer Zone: The U.S.-China High-Level Visits and China’s Policy Toward North Korea = Breaking Isolation and Distancing from a Buffer Zone: The U.S.-China High-Level Visits and China’s Policy Toward North Korea

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This research project attempts to explore how diplomatic approach between the United States (U.S.) and China influence China’s policy toward North Korea. This paper argues that when Chinese leaders meet the U.S. national leaders, less likely to help North Korea. High-level meetings between both countries that improve the bilateral relationship and reduce China’s sense of isolation lead China to be difficult to ignore the U.S. pressure for isolating North Korea, thus China is likely to reluctant to support North Korea. Moreover, high-level meetings lead China to makes commitments and agreements that the U.S. likes for the North Korean issue in advance. Empirical analyses verify China’s cooperation toward North Korea decreases when the U.S. and China’s national leaders hold more meetings.