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

다국어 초록 (Multilingual 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 China’s policy towards North Korea reached its peak. By analyzing China’s responses on North Korea after each nuclear test, this paper analyzes the changed and unchanged position of China.
Main subjects of analysis are (1) China’s official position (2) China’s attitude in the international society such as in the United Nations (3) China’s 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 China’s 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, China’s demand for leverage on the Korean Peninsula and possible domestic problems in China. China will continue to show duplicity on North Korea’s 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 Korea’s nuclear come within multilateral category not bilateral, as long as it does not directly impact China’s core interests, and as long as the competitive Sino-US relations continue lacking trust, China’s fundamental policy will stay consistent.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Chapter I. Introduction 1
• 1. Research Question and Background 1
• 2. Literature Review 2
• 3. Analytical Framework and Research Methodology 5
• Chapter II. Historical Background of the Sino-North Korea Relations 6
• 1. The Maoist Era: “Blood alliance” from 1949 to 1978 6
• 2. The Reformist Era: “Personal ties” from 1978 to mid 1990s 7
• 3. “Lukewarm Relations” since mid 1990s 9
• Chapter III. China’s Policy and Responses after North Korea’s Nuclear Tests 12
• 1. The First and Second Nuclear Crisis 13
• 2. The First Nuclear Test 17
• 3. The Second Nuclear Test 21
• 4. The Third Nuclear Test 26
• 5. The Fourth Nuclear Test 31
• Chapter IV. Changed and Unchanged Position of China on North Korea 39
• 1. Changed position 39
• 2. Unchanged position 44
• Chapter V. Three Main Factors of China’s Policy on North Korea 50
• 1. The Sino-US relations 50
• 2. Leverage on the Korean Peninsula 54
• 3. Domestic problems in China 57
• Chapter VI. Conclusion: China’s Perspective on the Korean Peninsula 59
• Bibliography 61
• 국문 초록 68