Long Debate over the US Challenge } 673
cooperation and dialogue to achieve denuclearization. “I think we had quite
a bit of alignment on the Korean issue,” said Donilon.^74 These Chinese moves
were in sharp contrast to China’s alignment with Pyongyang during the 2010
incidents, and were, in part, attempts to stabilize the PRC-US relation by
giving more substance to cooperation on an issue of great common concern.
Within the CCP debate over US policy, there were influential voices that
advocated going further in cooperation with the Americans. The deputy ed-
itor of the weekly journal published by the Central Party School in Beijing,
for instance, argued in early 2013 that China should countenance the even-
tual demise of the North Korean regime.^75 China’s policy of support for
North Korea as a buffer against the United States was an outdated policy
that no longer served China’s interests. Sooner or later, North Korea would
have to open and reform its economy, the Chinese academic said. When that
happened, the Pyongyang regime would be overthrown. Moreover, North
Korea’s leaders did not view China as a friend and caused China many prob-
lems. The North Korean regime might even one day use its nuclear weapons
to threaten China. The author of these bold views did not explicitly call for
broader partnership with the United States, but that was the clear implica-
tion. The advocate of this radical position apparently violated party disci-
pline by openly stating such views, and was reportedly fired at the insistence
of the MFA. Presumably, there are others within the CCP elite who share
these views.
Some hardline PLA officers favored less rather than more cooperation
with the United States. With the United States engaged in an effort to con-
tain and encircle China via Washington’s pivot to Asia, China should be
strengthening, not undermining, its relations with North Korea, these voices
said.^76 China should support and help defend North Korea, not join with the
United States to undermine its security. North Korea sought nuclear weapons
to protect itself from the United States, these analysts said. In the face of the
US pivot, a strong and secure North Korea would strengthen China’s posi-
tion. US plans for Chinese economic pressure on the north could lead to the
collapse of the northern regime, which could lead to unification of Korea as
an American ally. The ring of US encirclement around China would be even
tighter.^77
For Xi Jinping, as for every CCP paramount leader, securing the loyalty
of the PLA was a top priority. Satisfaction of budgetary demands and high-
profile visits to military commands were key instruments of this effort. So too
was giving careful consideration to PLA views about China’s core interests
in the face of US threats.^78 Balancing between the demands of the PLA for
militancy and the myriad civilian interests who have a powerful stake in con-
tinued comity in relations with the United States has become a key dynamic
of China’s post–Cold War foreign policy.