Kim, Jih-Un

Abstract
When North Korea conducted its third nuclear weapons test in 2013, observers commented that China’s foreign policy toward North Korea was becoming tougher. That is an exaggeration. China’s harsh rhetoric and concrete actions directed at North Korea following the nuclear test were short-lived and outweighed by its positive attitude and approaches to the North. Chinese leaders accentuated the mutual comradeship between China and North Korea, the Chinese public remained favorable to the North, and bilateral transactions continued. China has not changed its basic policy toward North Korea and is unlikely to do so in the near future.
Read the article here (subscription required)