As China continues to seek a diplomatic tack in dealing with North Korea after the latter's latest nuclear test this past Wednesday, military strategists say China may end up as a 'major victim' of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons.

Beijing, which was once the closest ally and major benefactor of North Korea, is said to now stands at risk of a 'nuclear blackmail' from Pyongyang and faces new and serious threats from its former ideological partner.

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Analysts say the North Korean nuclear programme will most likely be used as a 'blackmail strategy' against China.

"Most Chinese used to believe that Washington and Pyongyang were the key players in North Korea's nuclear problem, with Beijing just the middleman " said Zhang Liangui, a professor of international strategy studies at the Central Party School in Beijing."But as North Korea has developed its own nuclear weapons, China is a major victim."

Wednesday's nuclear test by North Korea was felt in the border towns of China - specifically in the northeastern part of the Jilin province - prompting Chinese authorities to close schools and offices. Successive tremors were felt by the residents for minutes. Geological experts say the tremors registered a 5.1 magnitude.

Political analysts say that although North Korea's nuclear arsenal comes fourth after the United States, Russia, and India, and is believed to represent a smallest threat, Pyongyang's volatility makes its arsenal the most dangerous and gives it the biggest potential to strike Beijing.

Sun Xingjie, an international relations professor at Jiliin University, warned China of the irreversible consequences it will suffer should North Korea detonate more hydrogen bombs.

Sun said possible 'nuclear leaks' will surely pose a real danger to the  residents living in the northeastern part of the country. "Based on its nuclear capacity, China faces a more actual threat if the bombs are detonated on North Korean soil," Sun said.

TagsNorth Korea nuclear program, 'blackmail strategy', Pyongyang nuclear test