On the occasion of the Russian President’s visit to North Korea, the two countries signed an agreement on mutual assistance in the event of aggression this Wednesday, June 19. North Korea is traditionally China’s ally, an ally that is certainly cumbersome, but one that Beijing has supported at arm’s length for years. North Korea turns to Russia, what does China think?
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During the visit of Vladimir Poutine in North KoreaChinese officials were with its sworn enemy: the South Koreafor a ministerial summit, during which Beijing and Seoul agreed on more dialogue, more political trust, more cooperation.
That the North Korean president received his Russian counterpart on the same day would be a sign, according to some experts, of his dissatisfaction with the Beijing-Seoul rapprochement, while tension is rising between the two Koreas. The one from the North sends bags of rubbish to its neighbor, that of the South has put back in place its system of propaganda loudspeakers directed towards the north.
A gift from Russia to North Korea
China is going to South Korea while Vladimir Putin recently gave North Korea a gift. Last March, he vetoed the UN sanctions monitoring system targeting Pyongyang. A loan for a return, if we are to believe the UNITED STATES and their allies who accuse North Korea of supplying munitions and missiles to the Russia for his war against kyiv.
Pyongyang, which has long considered itself too dependent on Beijing, is moving significantly closer to Moscow. And this rapprochement could also suit China, which has been supporting its neighbor at arm’s length for years, particularly since the implementation of sanctions – economically among other things.
Also listenVladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea: “There are joint and momentary interests”
China, champion of status quo In the region
Except that Moscow could have a bad influence on Pyongyang – with its threats to launch nuclear fire on kyiv: the rapprochement of these two “atomic” rhetorics should not delight China, which does not want the situation to degenerate with the United States. United.
Because China is the champion of status quo in the region and that is why North Korea is very useful as a scarecrow against the United States, which is increasingly present in the region and close to its allies, Japan and South Korea. But this “buffer zone” should not escape it because of its rapprochement with Moscow, which could help it develop its weapons even more quickly. With the risk that this always unpredictable dictatorship launches, for example, into a conflict that would rock the entire region – to the great displeasure, among others, of China.
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