“The discrepancy of Chinese non-intervention policy – the case of North Korea”, The 3rd Annual China Postgraduate Network Conference, 8-9 April 2010, Oxford, The United Kingdom
Abstract:
The norm of non-interference has long been an important principle of Chinese foreign policy since the 1950s as it is part of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. While many scholars notice that China is integrating with the current international order, the Chinese foreign policy seems to be more constructive in dealing with international crisis such as those humanitarian missions carried out by the United Nations. Paradoxically, in the meantime, China holds firmly on its non-intervention policy and has prevented any international intervention which targets Myanmar, North Korea and Sudan’s Darfur.
By studying the case of North Korea, this paper finds that China has indeed intervened in the affairs of North Korea, though the means and level of the Chinese interventions are different from the traditional western economic sanctions and military interference. The discrepancy of Chinese non-intervention policy – the gap between its principle and practice suggests that there is a clash of interest between its normative principle and other pragmatic national interests. While China enjoys a rapid growth of overall national capability, its unformed foreign policy probably undermines China’s great power status.
This paper first summarizes the recent development of China-North Korea relations. Second, this paper argues that China has mixed interests in dealing with North Korea. On the one hand, China needs to prevent international intervention in North Korea for its normative principle and geo-strategic consideration. On the other hand, China has to intervene in the affairs of North Korea for various pragmatic national interest as well as non-traditional security concerns. Third, this paper lists out some empirical cases that China has attempted to shape or change the situation in North Korea, a classical example is the nuclear issue. Lastly, this paper discusses the implications of the discrepant Chinese non-intervention policy towards the regional order.
