North Korea would not exist if it weren't for China. During the Korean War, North Korean forces were on the backfoot after the United States launched one of the most stunning and successful counteroffensives in wartime history. Defeat looked certain. But China came to the rescue, sending waves and waves of troops to overwhelm the South Korean allies. It led to an eventual stalemate at the 38th parallel, where modern-day borders remain drawn. In the decades after, North Korea relied on China for its own protection, while China enjoyed the buffer the regime created between it and the US-allied South….