Theories about China’s attitude toward North Korea often begin and end with the view that what the country fears, above all, is an inflow of refugees in the event of a North Korean collapse – a spillover that could rend the delicate ethnic quilt of China’s northeast provinces. The problem is that, while some Chinese do worry about refugees, “China” cannot be regarded as a collective noun with a singular view about anything; like any complex modern state, China contains many different views about many different issues.
有关中国对朝态度的理论往往推崇这样的观点，即中国最害怕朝鲜一旦崩溃，大量朝鲜难民涌入会打破东北三省微妙的种族平衡。关键在于虽然有些中国人的确担心难民问题，但就像任何复杂的现代国家一样，“中国”并不是一个有统一见解的集合体，而是在很多问题上观点都不尽相同。