Research Proposal on China's Foreign Policy on North Korea

Why Does China Have a Soft Spot for North Korea?

Could China's communist past be the major reason it continues to have a close relationship with North Korea?

What does China gain from its relationship with North Korea?

Hypothesis

Chinas foreign policy on North Korea is pegged on its Communist past.

Research method

A qualitative research method will be used for the study. A review will be made about Chinas foreign policy on North Korea. Primary sources that discuss Chinas foreign policy will be assessed. Secondary sources that discuss Chinas foreign policy will be assessed. Primary sources that discuss Chinas relationship with North Korea will be assessed. Secondary sources that discuss Chinas relationship with North Korea will be assessed.

Theoretical framework

Realism is the theoretical framework that can be used to explain Chinas foreign policy on North Korea. Realism states that nations get involved in international relations in pursuit of their interests, out of concern of their security and out of struggle for power. Chinas foreign policy on North Korea can therefore be said to be beneficial to both China and North Korea. China has a long history with North Korea, long before the Korean War. In 1950, Mao Zedong, the founding father of the Peoples Republic of China sent his soldiers to fight side by side with North Koreans during the Korean War. Mao Zedong kept on affirming that China and North Korea were very close, as close as lips and teeth.' Chinas communist past and stale myths in respect to fraternity could explain Chinas support for North Korea (Twomey, 2008).

Chinas foreign policy on North Korea has not changed in the last fifty years, despite the fact that North Koreas nuclear program is a threat to global peace and order. Tensions continue to rise in the world as North Korea continues to show defiance by perpetually testing its nuclear missiles. The International Community continues to be angered by North Koreas perpetual testing of their nuclear missiles. Despite the anger that North Korea has elicited globally by testing its nuclear missiles, China has remained tight-lipped about the issue. China continues to be pressured by the international community that it should put in place tough measures on North Korea. Based on the fact that North Koreas economy relies a great deal on its trading activities with China, China has a significant role to play in ensuring that North Korea stops being a security threat to the United States (Buckley, 2017).

References

Buckley, C. (2017). Criticism of Beijings North Korea Policy Comes From Unlikely Place: China. New York Times. Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/world/asia/china-north-korea-war.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FInternational%20Relations&_r=0

Twomey, C. (2008). Explaining Chinese foreign policy toward North Korea: Navigating between the Scylla and Charybdis of proliferation and instability. Journal of Contemporary China, 17, 56, 401-423.