[tallhappy]

China would want to install solid pro-Chinese regime in N. Korea, who would serve as a buffer against U.S. In due time, China would assimilate N. Korea economically, and eventually politically. For near term, China wants N. Korea to be a loyal satellite state.

Yes.

The ChiComs never want N. Korea to become less communist or more free than China. There has to be a worse regime out there that they can look better in comparison and so they can contiune to extort the west with promises their of "influence" on the worse rogue regime. The ChiComs would also like to be able to exploit thw people in N. Korea to make plastiuc trinkets for 1 cent an hour.

[DoctorMichael]

......There has to be a worse regime out there that they can look better in comparison and so they can contiune to extort the west with promises their of "influence" on the worse rogue regime.......

How positively Machiavellingly true! Machinations within machinations.