After a near-miss incident in which North Korean missiles came close to striking a packed China Southern flight, Chinese leaders have once again voiced their deep concern and impatience with North Korean provocations. The most clear example came in a Global Times editorial by People’s Liberation Army General Wang Hongguang, calling for a strong Chinese rebuke of Pyongyang’s belligerence and assurances that similar incidents would not be repeated.

In the second half of a two-part podcast, hosted by Carnegie-Tsinghua’s Paul Haenle, Peking University’s Wang Dong explained that in the current cycle of increasing North Korean provocations, China remains deeply concerned about the possibility of a fourth nuclear test by the Kim regime. Such a move could have a significant impact on the way the Chinese leadership views and acts on the North Korea issue. Wang added that the U.S. strategy of deterrence also has its limits; while it can discourage certain behavior, it cannot induce cooperation. Cooperation, Wang argued, will require the United States, China, and the international community presenting additional positive inducements to North Korea.

Carnegie-Tsinghua’s Paul Haenle said that 2007-2008, when he was serving as White House representative to the U.S. negotiating team at the Six Party Talks, had been a period of good U.S.-China cooperation and progress on addressing nuclear proliferation. However, Haenle said that given Pyongyang’s past betrayals, many in Washington now find it difficult believe North Korean calls to restart negotiations. The biggest concern for the United States is coming back to the negotiating table simply for the sake of meeting, which would undermine the Six Party Talks and their agreed framework, he concluded.

Wang Dong

Wang Dong is an associate professor at the School of International Studies and director of the Center for Northeast Asian Strategic Studies at Peking University. He received his bachelor’s degree in law from Peking University and master's degree and Ph.D. in political science from University of California, Los Angeles. Wang Dong taught at York College of Pennsylvania before joining the faculty of Peking University in 2008. His current research interests include international relations theories, international security, Cold War studies, American foreign policy, and Chinese foreign policy.

Paul Haenle

Paul Haenle is the director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center. Prior to joining Carnegie, he served from June 2007 to June 2009 as the director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolian Affairs on the National Security Council staffs of former president George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.