Freeman Report April 2009 Issue - vol.7, no.4

Is China afraid of North Korea? China’s muted response to North Korea’s recent provocations has given pause to some members of the international community. In the wake of Pyongyang’s provocative actions in recent weeks, the United States, Japan and other key countries sought a harder edge in China’s policy toward its troublesome neighbor to the northeast, but thus far China has not been compliant. Beijing’s recalcitrance in this regard may reflect a different set of interests from those of the United States and others, but need not necessarily signal an end to China’s central role in moderating North Korea’s  behavior.