WASHINGTON — For almost two decades, the United States and China have tried different approaches to dissuade North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons -- all of which appear to have failed with Pyongyang's announcement Monday that it had exploded a nuclear device.
Now the two big Pacific Rim powers are scrambling to come up with a strategy to prevent North Korea's move from touching off an arms race in Asia. As before, success may depend on whether Washington and Beijing can work together.
At least initially, North Korea's defiance has pushed the United States and China closer.
Both governments called Monday for a firm response from the United Nations Security Council, indicating that each would probably support new and tougher economic sanctions against the regime in Pyongyang, diplomats said.
One option that does not appear to be under consideration by the Bush administration is military action.
U.S. military officials said that destroying North Korea's nuclear facilities would be difficult and that trying to do so could engulf the region in war.
The ability of sanctions to force North Korea into serious negotiations over its nuclear program will depend almost entirely on China, which supplies most of Pyongyang's energy and much of its food.
"We really have to do something about this but, you know, we can't do it unilaterally. This is not a U.S. problem," Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said on CNN.
"A key country in all of this will be China."
Joseph Cheng, a foreign policy expert at the City University of Hong Kong, said that until now, "China tried to go the soft approach. But given North Korea's brinkmanship, China will probably have to bite the bullet now and take a tougher line."
Even if the United States and China agree on new sanctions, they will face a decision on the next step: What kind of deal to seek with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to persuade him to abandon his nuclear weapons program.
"After you get your sanctions, what then?" asked Robert L. Gallucci, who was the chief U.S. negotiator with North Korea under President Clinton. "The North Koreans want very much to do a deal with us. It's going to be up to the Bush administration ... to decide whether they want a deal."
If the Security Council adopts new sanctions, he said, it could make negotiations easier because North Korea would have more reasons to come to the table.
