Beijing’s defense strategy and the Korean peninsula

Abstract

The Korean peninsula has been one of the key regions for China’s security. With a strong interest in maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, Beijing is readjusting its foreign policy toward two Koreas in the post-cold war era. This article examines the recent changes in Beijing’s defense strategy and their implications for the Korean peninsula. It is argued that although China’s immediate military concerns are moving south, the Korean peninsula still occupies an important place in Beijing’s defense planning. Beijing’s recent weapon acquisitions from Russia have little direct impact on the Korean peninsula, but the Chinese defense modernization will have a long-term impact on the major power military balance in Northeast Asia.