Much has been made of the ideological links between China and North Korea, how the two Asian communist countries are "as close as lips and teeth", strong allies in the face of creeping US imperialism in the region.

But there were signs of slight tensions when a report emerged on Japan’s Kyodo news agency that the Chinese had drawn up contingency plans in the event of a collapse of the Kim Jong-un regime in the neighbouring country.

China has officially strong ties with North Korea – it is the country’s only major ally and aid from China is said to be propping up the socialist government there. China sent troops to fight in Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War.

Kyodo said the documents came from military sources and included plans to detain North Korean leaders and set up refugee camps along the border, each able to hold up to 1,500 people.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) devised the measures last summer, according to Kyodo.

The crisis management plans do not mention North Korea by name but refer to it otherwise, such as "our country's northeastern neighbour", according to the Kyodo report.

Angry response
There was an angry response from the Chinese foreign ministry, carried on the Xinhua news agency.

“The report made wild guesses, and was groundless and with ulterior motives … we hope the Korean peninsula maintains stability, and hope [North Korea] achieves economic development and people’s happiness,” according to comments by a foreign ministry spokesperson quoted by the agency.

The economic closeness is continuing, according to recent reports. Kyodo also carried a photograph of the exterior of a soon-to-be-opened casino built with Chinese investment in Rason, a special economic zone in northeastern North Korea.