The North Korea Crisis in Sino–US Relations

Abstract

Although superficially China and the United States initially appeared to have common interests in the management of the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis, the crucible of North Korean provocations revealed that Chinese and US preferences were more different than alike. Instead of laying the groundwork for an effective Northeast Asian multilateral security organization, as many hoped, the North Korean crisis has increased suspicions between Washington and Beijing. The crisis foreshadows additional difficulties in the tense transition from regional unipolarity to bipolarity, as China demands increased influence and privileges within its near-abroad while the United States continues to affirm the legitimacy of its post-war role as the enforcer of global norms – some of which China does not support.