{"id":2205239,"date":"2024-05-24T14:38:11","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T05:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2205239"},"modified":"2024-05-27T19:08:03","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T10:08:03","slug":"chinas-path-to-regional-leadership-remains-uncertain-despite-diplomatic-pivot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/05\/chinas-path-to-regional-leadership-remains-uncertain-despite-diplomatic-pivot\/","title":{"rendered":"China\u2019s path to regional leadership remains uncertain despite diplomatic pivot"},"content":{"rendered":"
China\u2019s efforts to assert regional leadership by mending ties with South Korea and Japan face significant challenges due to North Korea\u2019s resistance and the potential impact of the upcoming U.S. presidential election.<\/span><\/p>\n China\u2019s \u201cWolf Warrior\u201d diplomacy has strained its relations with democratic nations, particularly evident in South Korea, as Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s presidency has deepened U.S.-South Korea relations. This has been exacerbated by North Korea\u2019s <\/span>drift toward Moscow<\/span><\/a>, a development that Beijing opposes.<\/span><\/p>\n The upcoming <\/span>trilateral summit<\/span><\/a> between South Korea, Japan and China exemplifies China’s attempt to regain influence in the region. However, the success of this approach remains uncertain.<\/span><\/p>\n DIPLOMATIC MISSTEPS<\/b><\/p>\n During his first year in office, Yoon initially adopted a <\/span>conciliatory approach<\/span><\/a> toward Beijing. However, China\u2019s <\/span>apparent disrespect<\/span><\/a> for South Korea frustrated Yoon, leading him to defy vocal Chinese opposition and <\/span>strengthen ties<\/span><\/a> with the U.S. and Japan despite the political costs.<\/span><\/p>\n Although China-North Korea relations fare better, gaps persist between the two nations. The pandemic has hindered the full recovery of Sino-DPRK political and economic ties, with high-level bilateral meetings yielding little substance and trade remaining <\/span>below 2019 levels<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Pyongyang has prioritized building ties with Moscow, as demonstrated by Kim Jong Un\u2019s <\/span>Sept. 2023 summit<\/span><\/a> with Vladimir Putin in Russia. In contrast, Kim has not held a summit meeting with Xi Jinping since 2019. While China maintains warm ties with Russia, Beijing seeks monopolistic influence over North Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n China\u2019s Wolf Warrior diplomacy has limited its options for engaging with democratic neighbors, and its influence over North Korea, once a powerful tool in regional relations, has diminished.<\/span><\/p>\n