This paper examines Korean
Chinese relations in the context of the framework of the strategic partnership that has been in place since the 1990s. The relationship was considered to share the same characteristics as those between China and Russia, China and India, China and Vietnam, and China and Pakistan*yet differed in terms of content and significance. Despite its strong non-alliance policy toward foreign nations, China still pushed through with the forging of a partnership with the Lee Myung-bak administration, which had just been launched under the newly reinforced ROK
U.S. alliance. This paper examines the reasons behind this partnership, theorizing that the significance hierarchy within the partnership had been weakened, and that the meaning of ‘‘strategic’’had been expanded. Other reasons contributing to the forging of the new partnership between Korea and China included the following: counter-balancing the excessively pro-U.S. policy adopted by Korea and subsequent renewal of the strong ROK
U.S. alliance; a strategy to win over Korea to complete China’s East Asian regionalism; continued cooperation with Korea to deal with North Korea and its nuclear ambitions; and, concern over direct U.S.
North Korean talks possibly leading to ‘‘excluding China’’ and measures to prevent this. Despite the current strategic partnership between Korea and China, the two countries show clear differences in their respective views of a unified Korea, the ROK
U.S. alliance, North Korean issues, and mutual understanding; all of these will likely make the officialization of strategic interests a challenge for both countries from the mid- to long-term perspectives. To overcome such challenges, China may have to strike a balance between its traditional friendship with North Korea and the Korean
Chinese strategic partnership. For its part, Korea needs to find its own balance between the ROK
U.S. strategic alliance for the twenty-first century and the Korean
Chinese strategic partnership. Considering its weakness in terms of a clear sense of gravity and independence, Korea appears to require a considerable amount of time to deepen its partnership with China. At the same time, Korea needs to address the problems of coming up with its own strategic visions.