China and North Korea’s Diplomatic Relations: A Complex Landscape
Earlier this month, China and North Korea celebrated the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, reaffirming ties that have historically been described as close as “lips and teeth.” However, North Korea’s recent decision to deploy thousands of troops to Russia to assist in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine—an action revealed this week by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III—poses a significant challenge to this long-standing partnership.
China has expressed frustration over the instability that North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and its periodic threats to annihilate South Korea have sown in the North Asian region. Now, with North Korea escalating tensions in Europe, the situation complicates an already intricate geopolitical landscape. This development could exacerbate a broader confrontation regarding the global order, positioning the United States and its allies against a coalition of anti-Western powers led by China and Russia.
In its efforts to present itself as a proponent of peace, China has sought to differentiate itself from the United States, which it accuses of instigating a new Cold War. However, the potential involvement of North Korean soldiers—China’s only treaty ally—fighting on behalf of one of Beijing’s closest partners against forces backed by the West undermines this narrative of peace and stability.
Another significant concern for Chinese leadership, as noted by analysts, is the possibility of military technology transfers from Russia to North Korea in exchange for troop deployment. Such exchanges could embolden North Korea to adopt a more aggressive stance toward South Korea or Japan. Simultaneously, this situation may diminish Beijing’s influence over the reclusive state, even though North Korea heavily relies on China for trade and aid.
North Korea’s provocative behavior has already played a critical role in fostering a trilateral security alliance between the United States, Japan, and South Korea, formalized at Camp David last year. This pact, which China has likened to an Asian NATO, has intensified Beijing’s perception of being constrained and encircled by the United States and its allies.