Voice of America quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Senior Fellow Robert A. Manning on possible international diplomatic responses to North Korea’s bomb test:
Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said he expects that Beijing’s actions would be limited, despite the current troubled relationship between Beijing and Pyongyang. China appears to be afraid of the destabilization of the North Korean regime, which could slide into chaos on the Chinese border.
“They are trying to find a path that sends a message to North Korea, but doesn’t push them to the point where they have to worry about a collapse of their regime,” Manning said.
Manning added that over the past few years, the Chinese appeared to be leaning toward a sense that their ally is more of a liability than an asset.