Posts Tagged ‘china-dprk relations’
The Diminishing Returns of China’s North Korea Policy
North Korea’s economic dependence on China may have reached an all-time high, but Kim Jong Un is determined to set a course for greater political independence from Beijing. This has left China in a state that one insider has referred to as ‘desperate’ over its rocky relations with the country since Kim Jong Un came to power. But given that [...]
Chinese Perspectives: Third North Korean Nuclear Test Unlikely (For Now)
As the summer weather heats up in Beijing, Chinese experts are turning cold on their predictions for a North Korean nuclear test anytime soon. Recent interviews by the author with leading Chinese experts on North Korea reveal that the majority do not believe Kim Jong Un and the North Korean government will conduct a third nuclear test in the near [...]
Are the Arirang Mass Games Preparing People for A Chinese Path?
August 1, 2012, marked the premier of North Korea’s Arirang Mass Games. It is the country’s main tourist draw and a key event for inspiring support and fidelity to the government’s worldview. This is the tenth and final year of the festival, which will close with “The China Chapter” for a fifth time. The China Chapter is a curious [...]
China’s Embrace of North Korea: The Curious Case of the Hwanggumpyong Island Economic Zone
Background In early June 2011, China and the DPRK announced an agreement to establish a free trade area on Hwanggumpyong and Wihwa Islands, undeveloped sites adjacent to China’s border city of Dandong where a tax-free zone will also be established. These islands are located in the downstream area of the Yalu River on the border between the [...]
