Communist Asia: China and Korea

There is no doubt that an alliance had formed in the East when both China and North Korea had turned into a Communist regime. While Americans feared that the transformation in China would signify a rapid spread of Communism, situations in North Korea was largely ignored. Even during the Korean War, the American public did not fully comprehend the role North Korea played in the Communist crusade. Many simply thought of it as a "strange war fought in a strange land." Just what was the relationship between this "strange" land and China, and how did it influence the political environment in the Communist East?

A year after the foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on September 9, 1948, the People's Republic of China recognized it as a legitimate nation and initialized their diplomatic relations. The Korean War soon followed, acting as a catalyst to their friendship. In fact, North Korea's Prime minister Kim Il-Sung secretly visited Beijing to discuss with Chinese Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong and his delegation about his strategy in the Korean War. This demonstration of sincerity contributed to Chinese participation in the Korean War in October 1950, although the primary reason was to keep the United Nations Command away from the Chinese-Korean border (the Yalu River). This decision completely transformed the outcome of the war, leading to the survival of the DPRK and the establishment of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and the DMZ through the signing of the Korean War Armistice. Even after the Korean War, the Chinese provided economic support to Pyongyang, helping with the reconstruction and economic development in North Korea. Up to this point in history, the relationship between North Korea had become increasingly close. 

By 1956, China had become an increasingly influential Communist state. With support from the Soviet Union, China backed pro-China Korean figures known as the Yan'an faction in their attempt to remove Kim Il-Sung from power. This incident became known as the August Faction Incident and contributed to North Korean fears of Chinese influence. The relationship between the two Communist states had further deteriorated in the 1960s, when the Korean Workers Party publicly criticized the Cultural Revolution and its leader, Mao Zedong. Communist China responded to this insult by recalling its ambassador from Pyongyang in October 1966.

The contentious period between China and North Korea eventually came to an end as Nikita Khrushchev consolidated power within the Soviet Union and became the Premiere of the U.S.S.R. With its internal political chaos resolved, the U.S.S.R. became evermore powerful. In spite of the uneasy political tension between the two nations, the Sino-North Korean Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty was signed in 1961. This did not signify an end to the conflict between the two nations, as demonstrated by the withdrawal of the Chinese ambassador in 1966, but it did strengthen the global Communist movement, as it did signify the formation of a Communist military coalition in Asia. The treaty was prolonged twice, with its expiration date extended until 2021. 

These events which led up to the modern diplomatic relation between China and North Korea demonstrate that the relationship between the two Communist states cannot be simply characterized by its military alliance. The extension of their military treaty is simply motivated by the dying Communist crusade. Underneath the coat of alliance, Chinese expansionist policy generated political tension. The nuclearization of North Korea also contributed to the tension. It can be concluded that the two states are essentially adversaries and are bound together only by Communist interests.