Find a way to get China to use its enormous influence to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear bo

　　"Would it be good news for North Korea if the oil stopped flowing? No. Is it likely to cripple the economy and force the government to change course on their foremost strategic priority? No.The reality, however, is that the complicated, often exasperating, relationship is less about friendship or political bonds than a deep and mutually uneasy dependency."It can be argued that the North Korea-China relationship never really recovered from Beijings decision in 1992 to establish formal diplomatic relations with Seoul.The notion of Chinese power over the North — that the countries are as "close as lips and teeth, according to a cliche recorded in the 3rd century — is so tantalizing that Donald Trump has spent a good part of his young presidency playing it up. "But Chinas `emotions toward North Korea dont drive its policy."The North Koreans have always driven China crazy," says John Delury, an expert on both countries at Seouls Yonsei University, "and, for their part, the North Koreans have always felt betrayed by China.His late father, Kim Jong II, hated to travel but went to China eight times during his rule, and Chinese leaders reciprocated with trips to Pyongyang. There are ample hydrocarbons in North Korea to substitute for those it imports from China. North Korean nuclear tests set off earthquakes near the Chinese border and raise fears of radioactive contamination.The notion of Chinese power over the North — that the countries are as "close as lips and teeth, according to a cliche recorded in the 3rd century — is so tantalizing that Donald Trump has spent a good part of his young presidency playing it up.By so doing, US officials failed to see the limits of Chinese influence in the North, Person wrote last month on the 38 North website.Although North Korea takes pride in its ability to absorb pain, be it war, famine, sanctions or condemnation, Chinas tougher line will rob Pyongyang of key sources of foreign currency.In fact, North Korea has seemingly sought to humiliate Beijing by timing some of its missile tests for major global summits in China."Yet, nearly four decades later, asking China to solve the North Korean problem remains Washingtons default policy for dealing with Pyongyang. But both sides need each other in elemental ways.But even this may not work.But even this may not work." This, he said, is "a recipe for continued failure. Some observers question whether China could force a change in the North, short of military intervention, even if it wanted to.The countries, after all, share a long, porous border, several millennia of history and deep ideological roots. Is it likely to cripple the economy and force the government to change course on their foremost strategic priority? No." The View from China: "Kim Fatty" One clue about how Chinese see the North can be seen in two widespread nicknames for the overweight, third-generation North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un: Kim Fatty The Third and Kim Fat Fat Fat. Nominally allies, the neighbours operate in a near constant state of tension, a mix of ancient distrust and dislike and the grating knowledge that they are inextricably tangled up with each other, however much they might chafe against it.Theres also scorn for the Norths brutal, nepotistic brand of socialism, and displeasure that North Korean aggression led South Korea to allow on its territory a US anti-missile system that Beijing says can be used to spy on its operations."It can be argued that the North Korea-China relationship never really recovered from Beijings decision in 1992 to establish formal diplomatic relations with Seoul.This matters because if China is not the solution to the nuclear crisis, then outsiders long sold on the idea must recalibrate their efforts as the North approaches a viable arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reaching the US mainland, something the CIA chief this week estimated as only a matter of months away.’ Van Jackson North Korea specialist wrote.North Korean missile tests hurt trade and tourism and strengthen the US presence in a region that China believes it should dominate.Last month, North Korean state media accused Chinese state-controlled media of "going under the armpit of the US" by criticizing Pyongyang.Since communication at the highest levels has now virtually disappeared, Kim Jong Un feels little need to pay attention when Beijing calls on him to stop testing nukes and missiles.North Korean missile tests hurt trade and tourism and strengthen the US presence in a region that China believes it should dominate.In the 1970s, with North Korea pushing the United States for a peace treaty to replace the Korean War ceasefire that continues today, Washington chose to work through China."Beijing has also argued that it has less power over North Korea than people think." This, he said, is "a recipe for continued failure. The nightmare scenario for Beijing is North Korean refugees flooding into its northeast after Seoul takes power in Pyongyang and US and South Korean troops occupy lands that were once considered a buffer zone.His late father, Kim Jong II, hated to travel but went to China eight times during his rule, and Chinese leaders reciprocated with trips to Pyongyang.By so doing, US officials failed to see the limits of Chinese influence in the North, Person wrote last month on the 38 North website.Last month, North Korean state media accused Chinese state-controlled media of "going under the armpit of the US" by criticizing Pyongyang.North Korea gets its oil from China out of convenience, not necessity, according to Pierre Noel, an energy security specialist at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank.World Asia21 Oct 2017US policy of using Chinese influence to thaw N Korean ambitions may be flawed: experts  World, Asia        US policy of using Chinese influence to thaw N Korean ambitions may be flawed: experts   AP  Published:  Oct 21. 2017. 6:30 pm IST  Kids bike   The complicated relationship between China and N Korea is less friendship and more a mutually uneasy dependency."It is true that China loathes North Korea and vice versa _ at the societal level, the leadership level and the governmental level," Van Jackson, a North Korea specialist and lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, wrote earlier in 2017. "But Chinas `emotions toward North Korea dont drive its policy. There are ample hydrocarbons in North Korea to substitute for those it imports from China." The View from North Korea: "Profound Mistrust" One way to gauge Pyongyangs feelings for Beijing is to consider that Kim Jong Un has yet to visit his only major ally, a country that accounts for 90 percent of North Korean trade, since taking power in December 2011. The nightmare scenario for Beijing is North Korean refugees flooding into its northeast after Seoul takes power in Pyongyang and US and South Korean troops occupy lands that were once considered a buffer zone. In May, the North vowed to "never beg for the maintenance of friendship with China (or risk North Koreas) nuclear program which is as precious as its own life, no matter how valuable the friendship is.In fact, North Korea has seemingly sought to humiliate Beijing by timing some of its missile tests for major global summits in China. Some observers question whether China could force a change in the North, short of military intervention, even if it wanted to.Although North Korea takes pride in its ability to absorb pain, be it war, famine, sanctions or condemnation, Chinas tougher line will rob Pyongyang of key sources of foreign currency. Nominally allies, the neighbours operate in a near constant state of tension, a mix of ancient distrust and dislike and the grating knowledge that they are inextricably tangled up with each other, however much they might chafe against it.Since communication at the highest levels has now virtually disappeared, Kim Jong Un feels little need to pay attention when Beijing calls on him to stop testing nukes and missiles. The war is often seen as the backbone of the countries alliance, he said, but the North blamed the failure to conquer the South on Beijing, which had seized control of field operations after the near-annihilation of North Korean forces.Still, nothing China has done offsets its underlying fear that too much external pressure could collapse the government in Pyongyang.As China rises as an economic, military and diplomatic heavyweight whose reach extends from the Americas to Asia, many here resent being dragged down by an impoverished, stubborn, Third World dictatorship that allows its people to go hungry while its leader lives in luxury and expands a nuclear arsenal that could lead to war with Washington. The war is often seen as the backbone of the countries alliance, he said, but the North blamed the failure to conquer the South on Beijing, which had seized control of field operations after the near-annihilation of North Korean forces."Read: Asia tour hinged on preventing standoff with N Korea: China can expect pressure from Trump, say officialsThe View from China: "Kim Fatty" One clue about how Chinese see the North can be seen in two widespread nicknames for the overweight, third-generation North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un: Kim Fatty The Third and Kim Fat Fat Fat. In May, the North vowed to "never beg for the maintenance of friendship with China (or risk North Koreas) nuclear program which is as precious as its own life, no matter how valuable the friendship is. But both sides need each other in elemental ways."It is true that China loathes North Korea and vice versa _ at the societal level, the leadership level and the governmental level," Van Jackson, a North Korea specialist and lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, wrote earlier in 2017.But a big part of North Koreas "profound sense of mistrust" and "long-term effort to resist Chinas influence" stems from the 1950-53 Korean War, according to James Person, a Korea expert at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington."Beijing: At first glance, it seems the perfect solution to the worlds most dangerous standoff: Find a way to get China to use its enormous influence to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear bombs.