CHINA-NORTH KOREA RELATIONS: CHINA’S CHANGE AND CONTINUITY FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR WEAPON PROGRAM (2009-2012)

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the China’s change and continuity foreign policy towards North Korea’s nuclear weapon program. China playing an important role in the issue of North Korean nuclear crisis where China as stakeholder in East Asian region recognized as a “blood-ally” for North Korea. On the other hand, China’s greater role in the international community due to its boost economic development require China’s increasing responsibility to promote security in global affairs, particularly to its position as permanent member of Security Council that has responsibility for world’s security and sanctions the North Korea due to its nuclear weapon program. Officially China’s does not support the North Korea’s nuclear weapon program as what has been shown by its action to favour the UN sanctions towards North Korea on nuclear weapon program issue. However China is tied to North Korea as a “blood-allies” through the Treaty of Friendship (1961) that comprises important issues of its alliance including economy and security between both countries. In addition despite of its unfavoured towards North Korean nuclear weapon program, China arguably protecting the North Korean’s regime from any harsh sanctions that could resulted sudden collapse to regime by using its leverage over North Korea and international community. It can be understand that there are national interests from China over the issue of North Korea nuclear weapon program that are correlated with other issues including geopolitics interests and other interests in strategic issues internally and externally that makes this issue interesting to analyzes.