China’s Growing Concerns over North Korea-Russia Alliance
According to Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state, China is becoming increasingly concerned about the alliance between Kim Jong Un’s North Korea and Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The US alleges that over 11,000 North Korean troops have deployed to Russia to assist in Putin’s attempt to regain Ukrainian territory. In return, Russia is providing North Korea with economic and diplomatic support.
Beijing’s Fears
Campbell stated that China is apprehensive about the DPRK’s engagement with Russia. “In some discussions,” he said, “we are informing them of things they were unaware of, and they are concerned that Russian encouragement might lead the DPRK to contemplate actions that might not align with China’s interests.” Although China has not directly criticized Russia, Campbell believes that the deepening coordination between North Korea and Russia is causing Beijing unease.
Potential Regional Implications
Analysts predict that the alliance could disrupt the balance of power on the Korean peninsula, where North and South Korea have been in a frozen conflict for decades. South Korea has threatened to provide weapons to Ukraine in response to North Korea’s support for Russia, potentially escalating tensions in East Asia. Additionally, the alliance could weaken China’s influence in the region, potentially drawing US allies closer together.
China’s Leverage
Despite its concerns, China maintains significant leverage over both North Korea and Russia. It has provided critical economic and diplomatic support to the Kremlin in the Ukraine war and has maintained close ties with North Korea for decades. Experts suggest that if China chose to, it could use this leverage to curb the alliance between North Korea and Russia.
Alternative Perspectives
Some analysts believe that the alliance benefits China. “Officially, they might see it as an alarming situation,” said Jagannath Panda of the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs. “But the Chinese are waiting for an opportunity to come stronger together with North Korea and Russia.” Panda believes that China’s strategic goal is to create an authoritarian nexus to undermine the current world order.
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