China is getting nervous about nuclear talk

Published on Author mitchell

Continued concerns about North Korean statements about the brewing dispute between the country and the US are of much importance among Chinese officials.  Initially it appeared that they were in support of their fellow East Asian Communist country.  However, they have stated that now their main concern in the issue is that peace is kept.  It will get really interesting if North Korea or the US decides to take action in war.  I believe that China has too much at stake in the US for them to support North Korea but they are also at risk for an attack if they support the US because of their close location to North Korea.

Sources: http://www.businessinsider.com/satellite-image-shows-one-possible-reason-why-china-is-amassing-on-north-korean-borders-2013-4

http://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-we-have-final-approval-for-nuclear-launch-on-us-2013-4

4 Responses to China is getting nervous about nuclear talk

  1. China is concerned as well about the collapse on North Korea, as topography favors people fleeing north rather than south. A touchy issue is whether to crack down on North Korean refugees already in China – sending them home can be a death sentence, as returnees likely end up in labor camps from which few emerge. But there’s little sympathy with the North, they’re less an ally than the South. Furthermore, conditions in the North are truly horrific, economic collapse is tied to deforestation and a lack of fertilizer; famine is chronic. At present, however, China has almost no leverage.

  2. I think that for all intents and purposes China will appear to be neutral or even supportive of the US but they’ll be working behind the scenes in order to make sure nothing happens if war were to break out. China has way too much at stake, with the US and other trade partners, to support North Korea. On the other hand if North Korea were to fall that would mean one fewer “ally” that the Chinese could count on in desperate times. It will most definitely be something to keep an eye on.

  3. Given the economic interests and the perceived increase in North Korea’s radicalism, one would think that China in the countries effort to align with western powers would denounce the actions. To what extent will China maintain its alliance, and what will trigger the state’s departure from military agreements with North Korea?

  4. I think China is getting nervous for North Korea rather than nervous for themselves. If North Korea provokes anything they will more than likely be defeated by South Korea. In the most extreme of cases, China would rather have North Korea on its borders rather than a unified Korea under the South’s government. Although this is not of paramount concern, I still think China wants North Korea to remain in the status quo.