Chinese Cross-Border Economic Activities in North Korea

Abstract

This chapter discusses activities in the sector of cross-border movements, including physical infrastructure, tourism, and light industry and major targets. First, cross-border tourism cooperation and light industry labour cooperation attempt to attract the return of the population and resolve the labour shortage. Second, through the physical infrastructure cooperation with North Korea, Jilin province aims to seek access to the Japan Sea in order to attract investments, improve the local geo-economic conditions, and reduce population outflow. Third, it encourages North Korea to establish special economic zones (SEZs, e.g. for tourism and light industry) along Sino-DPRK borders to reduce the numbers of illegal North Korean immigrants. This chapter presents the dominant role of Jilin and Liaoning provinces in the economic cooperation and the secondary status of non-state actors.