China wary of Russia-North Korea ties, U.S. echoes concerns

China has signaled to the U.S. that they are concerned about the closeness between Russia and North Korea, said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on Monday. Beijing fears that Moscow's support for the regime in Pyongyang could lead to aggressive actions and potentially trigger a crisis, he added.

"We can certainly say that China is somewhat concerned about the current situation between Russia and North Korea. We have received such signals during some of our interactions and noticed certain tensions related to this issue," said Campbell during a conference organized by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which focused on China.

The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State noted that the dynamics of relations between Moscow and Beijing are "fascinating." Despite a "deep strategic partnership" regarding Ukraine, there are tensions between these two countries concerning, among other things, the Arctic, Central Asia, and now also North Korea.

"China is likely worried that North Korea will feel encouraged to take provocative steps that could lead to a crisis in Northeast Asia," he assessed.

The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State admitted that the rapprochement between Moscow and Pyongyang also worries the United States. He emphasized that an analysis is ongoing regarding the implications of the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea.

"We believe that discussions are ongoing about what North Korea will receive in return (for supporting Russia in the war in Ukraine), and this could be related to its nuclear program or long-range missile development program, and it may also concern energy issues," said Campbell. He noted that Kim Jong Un's regime has provided Russia with a "vast" amount of artillery ammunition.

Campbell announced that the U.S., together with South Korea, is considering taking appropriate steps in response to the growing cooperation between these two hostile states.