North Korea represents an ongoing test for China. Indeed, like most countries, China has a preference for relatively quiet borders, friends in neighboring capitals, and economies that complement their own in terms of trade and investment. Although past relations with Japan, South Korea, India and Vietnam are filled with clashes, tensions, and misunderstandings, there is now a far greater commonality in national objectives. The same is evident vis-à-vis Russia and Mongolia. North Korea however more often than not represents a headache that refuses to go away.

(Click on PDF icon to read complete article)