The U.S. has appealed to China in an effort to prevent North Korea from joining the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Three senior U.S. diplomats convened with China’s ambassador to Washington in a rare meeting earlier this week, stressing American concerns about Beijing’s growing relationship with North Korea.
U.S. officials urged China to leverage its influence over Pyongyang to temper any further collaboration, a State Department official confirmed under the condition of anonymity, while speaking to The Associated Press (AP).
10,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia
The U.S. reports that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia near the Ukrainian border, positioning to assist Kremlin forces against Ukraine’s military in the coming days. China has not yet issued a public response to the development.
“We believe that the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia that will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks,” Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told journalists, using an abbreviation for North Korea’s official name.
Singh reported that some North Korean soldiers have already advanced closer to Ukraine and are believed to be moving toward Russia’s Kursk border region, where Russian forces have been struggling to repel a Ukrainian incursion.
U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also said this week that North Korean troops were seen wearing Russian military uniforms as they headed toward Ukraine.
AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File/AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File
What Antony Blinken Is Saying
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that U.S. and Chinese officials held “a robust conversation just this week,” emphasizing that Washington expects Beijing to “use the influence that they have to work to curb these activities.”
“But I think this is a demand signal that’s coming not just from us, but from countries around the world,” Blinken added.
China’s Stance on Russia-Ukraine War
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, affirmed in a statement that China’s stance on the Ukraine crisis remains “consistent and clear.”
Liu noted that China has continued to call “for peace talks and political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. This position remains unchanged.”
“China will continue to play a constructive role to this end,” he added.
Beijing has maintained a “no limits” partnership with Moscow and remains a key ally to Pyongyang. However, experts suggest that China may disapprove of the deepening military ties between Russia and North Korea, viewing the alliance as a potential source of regional instability.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.