BEIJING: China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in Beijing on Wednesday and discussed the ongoing Ukraine crisis as Western leaders have condemned Moscow’s growing ties with North Korea.
Western leaders fear that Moscow’s growing military ties with Pyongyang could have significant implications for regional stability.
China’s Foreign Ministry said that during the meeting, emphasized the resilience of China-Russia relations, which he described as “inevitable” and “strong.” He said that their partnership is “not affected by the changing international situation, and is not directed at or affected by third parties,” according to a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
The meeting took place shortly before North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s scheduled visit to Moscow for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
According to South Korean intelligence, an estimated 10,000 North Korean troops are reportedly training in Russia, with the first group having arrived in Vladivostok in early October. This deployment, believed to involve elite forces, has sparked concerns among the United States, NATO, and South Korea, who argue that the troops may soon bolster Russian forces near Ukraine.
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Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters this week that North Korean troops “will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks.”
However, both Moscow and Pyongyang have categorically denied these claims, while North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong Gyu stated that any such deployment, if it occurred, would comply with international law.
The United States has reportedly voiced concerns to Beijing about North Korea’s alleged military engagement with Russia. China regards both Russia and North Korea as close allies.
At a news conference on Wednesday, China’s foreign ministry refrained from commenting on talks with the United States, and it also declined to clarify whether Wang Yi raised the matter of North Korean troops with Rudenko during their meeting.
