The more power China has accumulated, the greater has been its difficulty in gaining genuine allies, underscoring that leadership demands more than brute might. Contrast this with the strong network of allies and partners that the United States maintains in the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere. The withering of China's special relationship with North Korea, once its vassal, illustrates Beijing's dilemma.
Last year, Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, said "we have allies, friends and partners where China does not," while U.S. Secretary for Defense Ash Carter asserted that Beijing is "erecting a great wall of self-isolation."
The rapid deterioration in Beijing's ties with North Korea — which boasts good reserves of iron ore, coal, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc and other minerals — is sure to increase China's sense of being alone.