Overview

• North Korea condemned China, Japan, and South Korea's joint declaration on denuclearization as a violation of its sovereignty.
• Beijing had helped soften the language of the declaration, but this still provoked North Korea's ire.
• Analysts suggest North Korea seeks formal international recognition as a nuclear-armed state.
• China remains North Korea's primary ally and trading partner, but mutual suspicions persist.
• North Korea's ties with Russia may be influencing its stance towards China.