The United States and South Korea have called on China to use its influence over Russia and North Korea to prevent an escalation after sending thousands of North Korean soldiers to Russia to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine. So far, Beijing has remained silent.
In a rare meeting this week, three top U.S. diplomats met with China’s ambassador to the United States to express their country’s concerns and urge China to use its influence over North Korea to reduce military cooperation, according to a U.S. official. Department of State who preferred anonymity.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented Thursday that the parties had “a substantial conversation this week” and that the United States hopes China “uses the influence it has to help contain these activities.” “But I think this is a call that comes not just from us, but from many countries globally,” he said at a news conference in Washington alongside Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterparts.
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, declared that China’s stance on the crisis in Ukraine is “consistent and clear.” China is committed to “promoting peace talks and a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine. This position remains unchanged. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end,” Liu said.
Although Beijing maintains a “boundless” relationship with Moscow and is an important ally of Pyongyang, experts suggest that China may not welcome closer military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as it could destabilize the region.
Collaboration between Russia and North Korea runs counter to Beijing’s goal of a peaceful Korean Peninsula, said Shi Yinhong, an international relations expert at Renmin University of China. Beijing is “aware of the complexity and risk of this situation,” Shi explained, noting that “the fact that China has not yet commented on the military alliance between North Korea and Russia suggests that it does not agree with it.” ”.
Dennis Wilder, a fellow at the US-China Dialogue Initiative on Global Issues at Georgetown University, called Beijing’s “absolute silence” on the issue “surprising.” He indicated that China must balance its support for Moscow without antagonizing the West, and that Chinese President Xi Jinping could “choose to ignore the whole matter.”
Xi has established a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and “does not want to see Putin fail,” Wilder said at a panel hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
At the same time, Xi cannot risk generating discontent in Europe and the United States, especially when the Chinese economy faces difficulties, Wilder added. “That is why it is likely that he will not make public statements on this issue,” he said.
Victor Cha, president of the Korea Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, mentioned in the same roundtable that for China “there is probably a mix of frustration, concern and some uncertainty about how to handle this situation.” It is unclear whether Beijing was previously informed of Pyongyang’s decision, according to Cha. There may also be concerns about Russia gaining greater influence over North Korea than China has, he added.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that China “should ask Russia some difficult questions about whether it intends to expand the conflict with these types of actions.”
Lu Chao, director of the Institute of American and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University in northeast China, said the United States should not expect China to take care of North Korea. “It’s not that China should manage North Korea and the United States should manage South Korea,” Lu said. “I hope the US government understands China’s position.”
Lu also indicated that the troop deployment is “a matter between Russia and North Korea” and that China’s position remains that the conflict should not escalate.
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Fuente: Associated Press
