On the first few days after the event, it was interesting how many “expert” were caught off guard trying to understand the sudden war prone situation in Korea. I say this because many of their analysis were shallow, showing they did not look at Asia as a whole but based only the North South Korea conflict. They created linkages; Korea is going thru power transition, Korea is acting out….hence, the power transition has to have something to do with this…..etc.
If they have seen the overall picture of how America in the recent years has slowly reasserted its interest in Asia after years of neglect, how China has flexed its giant muscle on its neighbors and declared its ownership in disputed regions of the pacific ocean, how China has been angry with US presence in the area….etc, they would have understood how China continue to play their North Korea card as bargaining chips with the US.
What does North Korea get from this? China’s loyal and continued support economically, politically for the dictatorship regime to survive. As long as North Korea will continue to be the China’s card (threat for potential instability) so China could keep the bargaining chips valuable in its diplomatic games with the US and serves as a buffer zone. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship between the 2.
The event that happened, some said is not directed at South Korea, but at the US. A delegation from China is in South Korea now talking with everyone trying to “calm” different parties down to avoid war…When no one can really do much, China has been and will continue to be the only party that could do anything to influence North Korea….That is a good position to bargain things.