Nonetheless, China continues to regard North Korea as an important strategic asset, because it serves as a buffer state shielding China’s border from American troops on the peninsula – which has historically been used as an entry point by invading troops. China’s ideal solution would therefore be to maintain the status quo while persuading the North to open up – a path of gradual change that avoids open conflict or the regime’s collapse.
尽管如此，中国仍将朝鲜视为重要的战略资产，因为朝鲜是防止中国边境遭受美军入侵的缓冲国——过去美军曾利用朝鲜半岛来入侵中国。因此中国的理想做法是在说服朝鲜开放的同时力争保持现状，开放能让朝鲜逐步改革，同时避免政权崩溃和公开冲突。