China's Foreign Policy Toward North Korea: The Nuclear Issue

China has had different reactions to North Korean nuclear provocations. When North Korea announced its withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty NPT and provoked the first nuclear crisis in 1993-1994, China responded relatively softly and preferred to remain a bystander. However, in 2003, when North Korea withdrew from the NPT and provoked another nuclear crisis, China reacted quite differently. The country actively intervened to settle the crisis and cooperated with the international community. This thesis examines the factors that have affected Chinas foreign policy change toward the North Korean nuclear issue. The thesis argues that general changes in Chinas foreign policy stance also have affected its attitude toward the North Korean nuclear issue. After the Tiananmen incident in 1989, China maintained a passive attitude toward international affairs. However, that attitude changed in the late 1990s when China resumed diplomatic relations with the West, and successful economic development gave it confidence in its growing national power. China is simultaneously trying to limit U.S. influence in Asia while increasing its own influence in the region and involvement in international affairs. This change in Chinas attitude is the reason for its change in response to the North Korean nuclear issue.