Does China have enough power to keep North Korea in check?, what do you think?

Question

Kim Jong-Il is obviously unbalanced but does China or anyone else have what it takes to keep N. Korea in "check"?

Answer 1

China is their sole supporter right now. I believe that someday soon China will stop this charade and sanction N. Korea leading to the dimise of the Jong Ill regime. The country's dictatorship will implode without China's help.
Right now, China is just trying to mix it up a little with this intimidation crap. I firmly believe that China will NOT support N. Korea in another year or two. When things really get out of control, China will bail and Jong Ill will fall.
The question is: Will Dick Cheney have the self control to keep the US from starting another Vietnam?
If we impeach Dubya and elect a democrat. This problem will be dealt with diplomacy.

Answer 2

China is negotiating a reasonable settlement and has been leading the North Koreans back to the bargaining table for many months. While the US views the build-up of armed forces as potential hostility on the part of China, it may also be read as preparation for self-defense. With a population of 1.3 billion, if one out of every ten males (birth rate is about 100 females to 115 males) is capable of military service, it reflects a tremendous army and armed with a substantial air force, nuclear weapons and a modern navy, North Korea would open a can of worms that they might not survive. The US might have the technology and an army but would be constrained by the proximity of China, South Korea and Japan. Without upsetting the apple-cart, China might be better able to work out an amicable stand-down rather than promote an aggressive act by the North Koreans. President Hu is knowledgeable and a very efficient leader and able to stand up to Kim.

Answer 3

If China doesn't, no one does. There are several troubling aspects to this situation with North Korea. First of all, Kim Jong (mentally) Il is just that, mentally ill. The guy is perfectly monkey nuts and would, I suspect, do anything up to and including launching a nuclear first strike against Japan or the US.

While it is assumed that China has more or less kept him in check over the years since he took over from his father, I think it is also fair to say that China rather likes using North Korea as their proxy. My sense is that each time Kim behaves belligerently toward the US and Japan, China has advance notice and otherwise sanctions it.

That said, I do not think China wants WWIII. So I'm thinking that when their demented pet begins to venture from sabre rattling to out-and-out military engagement, China would step in. But this remains an unknown quantity to those of us outside that sphere of influence and it would be unwise not to take Kim's threats and bizarre behaviours very seriously.

Answer 4

Sorry to say China has enough power to keep anyone in check. If we did not owe them so much money they could take us out. Think about how many millions they could lose in war and not even miss them. We do not have enough bullets for the mess in Iraq how could we handle the Chinese?? Nukes are not the answer but would probably be used because of the overwhelming power the Chinese have.

Answer 5

China already has Nuclear weapons and Korea is trying to develop them, so for now China has the power!

Answer 6

I think China does because it has much more people than North Korea!

Answer 7

the question should be, does China "want" to keep N Korea in check?

Answer 8

Since China's one of their few, if any, trading partners, they do have enough influence. Plus, the Chinese realize that if they let this clown loose, the retaliations would be swift and nasty, and they don't want that kind of instability in the region.

Li'l Kimmy's just holding his breath again until he turns blue, hoping to get enough attention to keep his regime afloat and his country from starving to death (correct that, his army; he doesn't give a f**k about his country).

Answer 9

Depends on what you mean by in check. He is pretty much in control of N Korea, and knows that if he tries to expand his empire he will lose control. I don't think anyone can control him, but I think they can keep him from attacking S Korea.

Answer 10

I don't think he is all that unbalanced. Seems like no matter who we fight they are said to be "crazy". He's just a product of his environment. Yes china can stop them.