http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-11-22-china-north-korea-alliance_N.htmThe defense chiefs of North Korea and China reaffirmed pledges to strengthen their nations' 60-year-old alliance, North Korean state media reported Monday, amid renewed attempts to draw the country back to disarmament talks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11818005There was more condemnation of North Korea from Russia, EU and the UK, although China - the North's main ally - refused to apportion blame.
http://www.cfr.org/publication/11097/chinanorth_korea_relationship.htmlChina is North Korea's most important ally
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AM0RK20101123The impoverished and isolated North depends heavily on its only major ally for economic and diplomatic support and its leader Kim Jong-il has visited China twice this year, in part to gain backing for the anointment of his son to eventually take over the family dynasty.
China's tight bond with North Korea faced mounting pressure with the arrival on Tuesday of a U.S. envoy as Washington urges Beijing to use its influence over Pyongyang to curb its nuclear weapons ambitions.
http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2010/11/24/north-korean-attack-how-will-china-react/Besides being Pyongyang’s only ally of consequence, Beijing has a vested interest in supporting the North Korean regime
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-05-26/china-may-shield-north-korea-as-lee-clinton-seek-action-over-ship-sinking.htmlSouth Korea expects China to maintain a “strategic ambiguity” over whether its ally sank the 1,200-ton Cheonan
You cannot argue that these two countries are not allies. At best you can surrender to the contemporary conclusion that China is growing more concerned about their wayward ally, which is true, but pretending they are not allies is tantamount to throwing your credibility out a window.
If you choose to cling to the sinking ship (no pun intended) that is your original post, though, I defy you to find me ONE journalistic or academic source which claims the two countries are NOT allies. Until then this is your personal opinion, and not fact or even mildly accurate reading of the situation.
-Wind