Chinese, Russian FMs discuss Korea tensions

Department of Research, Strategic Studies and International Relations 20-11-2024

The top diplomats of China and Russia discussed tensions on the Korean peninsula during a meeting at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Brazil on Monday, Beijing’s state media reported.

China and Russia have drawn closer since the latter invaded Ukraine in February 2022, with Western countries accusing Beijing of providing tacit support for its partner’s war of aggression.

China has also given a mostly muted response to North Korea’s decision to send military assistance to Russia, though Chinese President Xi Jinping told his United States counterpart Joe Biden last week that Beijing would protect its “core interests” on the peninsula.

Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported that Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in the southeastern Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro on Monday, where the two sides “exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and the situation on the Korean peninsula.”

The report did not give specific details of the discussions.

Wang said China was “willing to work with the Russian side to further strengthen cooperation and alignment,” CCTV said.

He added that Beijing would make “due contributions to the development and revitalization of our respective countries and the reform of global governance,” the broadcaster added.

Longtime socialist giants with a history of tempestuous ties, China and Russia have bolstered diplomatic, economic and defense ties in recent years while making much of the supposed personal amity between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But some analysts have said North Korea’s decision to send troops to Russia for potential deployment in Ukraine has made Beijing uneasy about the security implications in its East Asian backyard.

China is traditionally North Korea’s biggest diplomatic ally and has been a critical source of economic support for Pyongyang’s moribund economy.

Last week, Xi told Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru that Beijing “does not allow conflict and turmoil to happen on the Korean Peninsula,” state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

“China will not sit idly by when its strategic security and core interests are under threat,” Xinhua reported Xi as saying.