China’s and Russia’s North Korea Dilemma

As the only country to physically fight alongside North Korea during the Korean War, China’s position in the whole North Korea affair is even more unenviable. Throughout the 1950’s until the late-1960’s, China was a diplomatic outcast to much of the world while most governments recognized the exiled Nationalists in Taiwan as the real China. With no real friends in the world, neighboring North Korea was the perfect ally for the People’s Republic of China since both were pariah states.

When China began to open up in the late-1970’s and began its transformation into a market economy this began putting it in a tight bind where North Korea was concerned. It didn’t want to abandon its closest ally but didn’t want to risk its developing high status with the rest of the world.

Things got even more awkward for China in 1993 when South Korea, North Korea’s main nemesis who China helped North Korea fight, switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. Trade ties between China and South Korea grew rapidly, which Beijing was all too grateful for. But ties with South Korea began putting China’s increasingly difficult friendship with North Korea to the test when North Korean defectors began using China as a road to freedom in South Korea.

This is why whenever North Korea misbehaves China makes impassioned pleas to all parties concerned not to make any moves that would further aggravate the issue. If North and South Korea were to resume fighting – the two remain technically at war since only a truce, not a real treaty, stopped the fighting in 1953 – perhaps no one stands to lose as much as China, whether it rushes to North Korea’s aid again or remain neutral. A unified Korean Peninsula under a democratic government would rob China of its staunchest ally.

But even then one has to wonder when the Chinese will begin to question the logic of trying so hard to maintain a friendship with the world’s most isolated and one of the world’s most backward countries. China has one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and the standard of living for its citizens has risen nearly tenfold in the last 20 years. Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong rank among world’s finest and most ultra-modern cities. It should stop feeling a sense of obligation to this Cold War relic of a country that chooses to remain so.

The same thing goes for Russia. Since ousting communism and adopting a freer society for its citizens, Russia has gained more respect from the free world while the standard of living for its citizens has risen dramatically. It is home to nearly 100 billionaires whereas 20 years ago it had none. It should feel no responsibility if North Korea chooses to remain a Stalinist state.

It’s time for Russia and China to leave North Korea to its own devises and stop pacifying it. The sooner they stop pampering North Korea the sooner the North Koreans will get their act together and perhaps soon China and Russia will finally be free of their North Korea dilemma.