As high-ranking Russian and North Korean officials continue to visit China at the end of the year, attention is being paid to the background. Some speculate that this may be a ‘warm-up’ effort to kick-start ‘trilateral solidarity’ between China, Russia, and North Korea after next year in response to the trend of strengthening security cooperation between Korea, the United States, and Japan.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin plans to visit Beijing, China for two days on the 19th and 20th, meet with Premier Li Qiang and pay a courtesy visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Prior to this, North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Park Myung-ho also attended a meeting between Chinese and North Korean vice foreign ministers with Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing on the 15th and paid a courtesy visit to Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the 18th.
Both China and North Korea pledged ‘continued friendly and cooperative relations’ during Park’s visit to China ahead of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and North Korea next year. The Chinese side is introducing Russian Prime Minister Mishustin’s visit to China as ‘to deepen mutual cooperation’ in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia next year.
However, considering that Russia and North Korea are each under sanctions from Western countries such as the United States for the ‘Ukraine War’ and ‘nuclear and missile development,’ the successive visits by Russian and North Korean officials to China “may have a purpose beyond bilateral cooperation with China.” There is also an observation that “there is.”
The Chinese authorities have so far shown a ‘passive’ attitude toward military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which advanced rapidly before and after the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Workers’ Party Secretary General Kim Jong-un in September of this year, or proposals for trilateral joint military training from Russia.
The general view of related experts is that for China, which seeks to receive ‘equal treatment with the United States’ from the international community, the burden of being considered ‘in the same group’ with Russia and North Korea would have been great.
Moreover, considering that Chinese diplomacy has so far taken a critical stance against the US-centered ‘small multilateralism’, the moment it formalizes the ‘trilateral solidarity’ with Russia and North Korea, it will face the so-called ‘naeronambul’ (if I do it) There is no way to avoid criticism that it is a romance or an affair.
For this reason, the Chinese authorities have stated that they do not support the West’s unilateral sanctions against Russia, while in relation to North Korea’s military provocations, they have argued at the UN Security Council and elsewhere that the US is responsible and that sanctions are useless. Although we have tried to protect ourselves, we have maintained that the cooperation framework with Russia and North Korea is limited to the bilateral level.
Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha Womans University, also commented on the visit by Russian and North Korean officials to China, saying, “We can see that China is trying not to get involved in the so-called ‘North Korea-China-Russia triangular cooperation structure.’” This is because people of different ‘levels’ were allowed to visit China at different times.
Professor Park said, “If ‘North Korea, China, and Russia’ are tied together, the situation becomes complicated for China because it is also linked to the war in Ukraine started by Russia.” He added, “Instead, we will end this year through thorough management at the bilateral level and in a sense, we will end the year with Russia and North Korea.” “It can be said that a series of visits by dignitaries were made,” he explained.
North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ‘Hwasong-18’. Pyongyang Rodong Sinmun = News 1However, some say that if the international situation changes rapidly again due to the situation of the war in Ukraine or the results of the US presidential election in November next year, “the possibility that China will readily respond to the ‘wooing’ of Russia and North Korea cannot be ruled out.” This is raised.
Professor Park also said, “If the war in Ukraine is resolved next year, a symbolic ‘North Korea-China-Russia solidarity’ structure could be drawn at a certain level,” adding, “Even if it is not a reaction to the consolidation of Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, China may act as its own response.” “He predicted.
Moreover, as Russia is also facing a presidential election in March next year, there are predictions that it will continue to seek to strengthen relations not only with North Korea but also with China in order to clarify the ‘front line’ with the West, including the United States, even for domestic political purposes.
For this reason, some experts suggest that “our government needs to manage Korea-China relations more actively before the ‘close relationship’ between China, Russia, and North Korea becomes a reality.” In this regard, our government is pursuing a plan to hold a Korea-Japan-China summit early next year.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.