Is Russia-North Korea friendship a new cause for concern in China?

Last Updated on August 20, 2024 10:10 am

Russia has been attacking Ukraine with North Korean missiles for the past few months. In a recent attack, Russia used four North Korean-made KN-23 missiles to hit Kiev. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also mentioned the incident of father and son being killed in this attack. It is known that Russia got these missiles from North Korea.

North Korea claims that they have not violated any UN rules. However, satellite images show that Pyongyang recently sent more than 11,000 containers to Russia. Since the meeting between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok last September, cooperation between the two countries has been increasing.

The military relationship between Russia and North Korea is at the center of world discussion. Pyongyang has secretly promised to supply missiles and artillery shells. In return, Putin promised to supply North Korea with nuclear weapons and missile technology. Before this military agreement, North Korea’s main military ally was China. But after that agreement, Russia was added to that list.

Most analysts believe the growing relationship between Russia and North Korea is a cause for concern for Beijing. In a New York Times report, David Pearson and Choi Sang-hoon said the relationship could reduce North Korea’s dependence on China, creating new challenges for China.

Although 95 percent of North Korea’s foreign trade is with China, that situation may change after military and technology deals with Russia. However, analysts believe that North Korea is so dependent on China that even if it makes an agreement with Russia, it will not be able to get out of China’s influence. China believes that North Korea’s relationship with Russia will not go very far because Kim Jong Un’s Workers’ Party is subordinate to the Chinese Communist Party, and completely dependent economically.