Cooperation and Limitations of China's Sanctions on North Korea: Perception, Interest and Institutional Environment.

Purpose-This paper seeks to address China's cooperation and limitations in sanctioning North Korea. This study goes beyond the majority of existing research which discusses North Korea's nuclear sanctions in the context of China's foreign policy or policies concerning the Korean Peninsula in the Northeast Asian order. Design/Methodology/Approach-In this paper, China's perception, interest, and the institutional environment surrounding North Korea's nuclear pursuit have been chosen as main factors of analysis. Findings-While perception and interests pose fundamental influence on state behavior, an institutional foundation is needed for China to project its actions or preferences. In short, cooperation with international sanctions was made possible with China's changing perception of the nuclear regime, increase in relevant interests, and evolution of the domestic institutional environment. Practical Implications-however, the same factors may also work to hinder future Chinese cooperation. Concerned parties must consider these precariously inter-related factors in order to garner further Chinese support for sanctions on North Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]