Jonathan D. Pollack from The Brookings Institution quotes Ambassador Wu Dawei, Japan’s long-time leading negotiator on the Korean nuclear issue, who expressed mounting frustration that North Korea lets China’s advice ‘go through one ear and out the other ear’. Ambassador Wu suggests that North Korea ‘ had signed its own death warrant’. For link to Pollack article, see below.
Comments
One response to “China and North Korea: the long goodbye.”
Pollack’s observations are very timely . But history of this issue would suggest that while the changes in Chinese policy are important (and welcome) Chinese policy towards the DPRK will continue to be most influenced by their long held concern about any misstep by the DPRK which could lead to international intervention in that country – rather than whether they like the regime or not. China has also seen the Korean peninsula as a key element in its relationship with the US – one that they would like to be able to retain for possible activation should any deterioration in its bilateral relationship with the US present itself. Both issues are likely to remain central to Chinese policy in the DPRK and impede any rapid moves down the path of collaboration with the US on this issue.