The aim of the article is to analyse and evaluate the conditions and attitude of China towards the North Korean nuclear programme after the Cold War. These issues are considered on the political-ideological, political-military, strategic, and economic levels. The main thesis of the article is that after the Cold War, China, as the protector and patron of North Korea, facilitated the development of its nuclear programme. Support for the neighbour resulted mainly from the strategic value of North Korea for China as a buffer state. The ideological factor, in turn, was of little importance and was used instrumentally. Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions have begun to damage the interests of the Middle Kingdom. Therefore, in recent years, China has imposed increasingly severe economic sanctions on North Korea. Despite the importance of China for North Korea, Beijing has so far not been able to influence Pyongyang on the suppression of its nuclear programme. The question about the direction and scope of further changes in China’s policy towards North Korea remains open.