"China Should Also Be Concerned About North Korea and Russia's Unstable Actions"
China Maintains 'Silence'
The U.S. government is reportedly persuading China to "pressure North Korea," CNN reported on the 29th (local time). The expectation is that China will exercise its influence to withdraw North Korean troops deployed to assist Russia in the Ukraine war.
In particular, the U.S. is said to have requested other countries to also persuade China, hoping for China to take action. According to a U.S. government official, Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, recently issued such instructions to relevant authorities.
The reason behind the U.S.'s move is the expectation that China, as North Korea's largest trading partner and traditional ally, can exert influence. Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the State Department, said, "We have clearly conveyed America's concerns about North Korea's troop deployment to China," adding, "China, as a neighboring country, should also be concerned about the destabilizing actions of Russia and North Korea."
However, it remains uncertain whether China, which has not made any particular statement on the North Korean troop deployment issue, will actually exercise influence over North Korea. NATO member countries believe that although China maintains a neutral stance externally on the Ukraine war, it supports Russia on the other hand, and thus will not intervene in the North Korean troop deployment issue. There is also analysis questioning whether China's influence will be effective, as North Korea and Russia have been closely aligned since the Ukraine war, including signing a "Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" recently, which includes military cooperation.
On the 30th, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Zhen responded at a regular briefing to the question, "The U.S. State Department said it negotiated with China regarding North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and expressed concerns; can you share related information?" by saying, "There is no information to provide." He added, "China's position on the Ukraine crisis and the Korean Peninsula issue remains consistent."
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