[smsm42]

> Perhaps China wants to annex NK.

No they don't. Why would they want this radioactive toxic dumpster fire as their full responsibility? They're much better it being within their sphere of influence - so that anybody who wants anything done has to deal with China and make suitable offers to get things done - while having pretty much zero responsibility for the welfare of the people and not being subject of criticism for any atrocities that happen there, and not granting the people there even minuscule rights that Chinese subjects have. Current situation - at least until it explodes into a hot war - is a huge win for China, they are indispensable as the only power capable of putting a leash on Crazy Kim, they look relatively good in comparison to him, and they don't have to spend anything on it or bear any responsibility.

[bonzini]

China has plenty of rural areas anyway, and NK population is 2% of Chinese population.

China is pretty much the only country that can pour enough money into NK to bring it out of poverty, and a border with an important US Ally (South Korea) would be priceless.

I don't think that's what they want to do, but it would actually make sense.

[smsm42]

I'm not saying they couldn't do it - unlike South Korea, China doesn't care too much for the welfare of the population beyond the basic subsistence level, and has enough resources to avoid outright starvation in NK if they took over. I am saying there's no reason for them to take over, because they now already have all the benefits of control with none of responsibilities of it. It would be literally stupid for them to do it unless they face the imminent danger of either losing control (thus Korean War) or having a hot and possible nuclear war on their borders (thus agreeing to put the leash on Kim, for a suitable price of course).

[cmdkeen]

China has historically tolerated NK because it doesn't want to share a border with a US ally. China intervened in the Korean War precisely because the UN forces came too far north, in spite of China warning them to stay clear.

[mythrwy]

So this is why maybe the sudden change of heart. All fun and games watching Uncle Sam get poked in the eye until it appears he is going to have troops on your border if it keeps up.

At this point it's in China's actual interest to resolve the situation. They'd probably like to resolve the situation with with the stick poker intact but that doesn't appear to be acceptable anymore. I'm guessing they are hoping Kim cools it down just enough and they can wait it out until the political climate in the US changes and then business as usual.