by SBS via KWIC <Kanwa news March 14th> While significant progress has been made in the negotiation between the USA and North Korea on the inspection of North Korea's underground nuclear facilities, China is trying to increase its political impact on North Korea in order to further gain the initiative in its struggle for the regional diplomatic dominance. The Chinese diplomatic source has recently confirmed with the KWIC reporter that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-North Korean diplomatic relationship and that China does invite Kim Jong Il to visit Beijing. Negotiations are now under way between the two sides on the relevant arrangements. He especially pointed out that Pyongyang asked too much in reciprocation for Kim Jong Il's (???) visit, including asking China to offer more economic aid and to resume the military assistance. The whole situation barely develops. As the source emphasized, China is now the only country that offers unconditional aid to North Korea. Without the aid from China, North Korea will find it more difficult to survive. Therefore, so far as the potential impact is concerned, the one that China produces on the Korean Peninsula is significant.
In 1998, China offered North Korea a 400-billion-US dollar-worth of aid, which included petroleum, foods, and credit funds. The KWIC believes that such an action embodied more political significance than the practical economic significance and that it was intended to show the impact China had on North Korea.
As Sung-Han Kim, associate professor of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security under the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, indicated to the KWIC reporter, though China does not have any direct impact on the decision making process of North Korea on its political and foreign policies, yet "the China factor" is at least worth "the consideration" of North Korea. This is because without the support from China, it will be much less possible for North Korea to take chances( Kanwa news).
