According to US Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell, as the conflict in ukraine intensifies, china is getting more uneasy about the deepening relations between north korea and Russia. The US official made the remarks while debating whether china condones North Korean forces stationed in Russia.
 
The authorities pointed out that china has been mute on the latest war developments, and many people theorize that beijing may be concerned that military cooperation in ukraine will support an American effort to build an east Asian alliance network with south korea and Japan.
The US official's comments followed China's unusual gesture of goodwill toward japan, in which it announced plans to withdraw a buoy it had placed inside Japan's exclusive economic zone close to the Senkaku Islands, which are controlled by japan in the east china Sea. The Chinese act is viewed as a symbolic attempt to persuade people in japan who do not wish to be involved in a fight with china that is led by the United States, as the island has been a significant source of friction between the two countries.
 
'Coordination between Pyongyang and moscow is unnerving to China'
Campbell stated that the increasing cooperation between Pyongyang and moscow is "unnerving to China" during a recent lecture at the Center for Strategic and international Studies, a think tank in Washington.
 
During the panel discussion, the American official stated, "The DPRK [North Korea] engagement with russia is the topic that is becoming increasingly uncomfortable for Chinese interlocutors." "In some of the discussions we have had it seems we are informing them of things that they were unaware of about DPRK pursuits, and they are concerned that Russian encouragement might lead the DPRK to contemplate either actions or military actions that might not be in China's interests," he said.
Campbell said that Beijing's lack of direct comment on the issue reflects China's unease with the deepening relations between russia and North Korea. "China has not weighed in directly to criticize russia but we do believe that the increasing coordination between Pyongyang and moscow is unnerving them," he stated.
 
A similar claim was made by Dennis Wilder, a former assistant director for east Asia and the Pacific at CIA. "It is astounding how silent beijing is on this topic on the radio. At the occasion, he stated, "There is not a word in the Chinese press about sending soldiers or the strategic agreement that russia and north korea reached in the summer.
 
"If russia goes down the road of nuclear assistance to north korea this will bolster the Americans' alliances in east Asia and maybe create a true NATO so President Xi jinping is in a very very difficult spot," the former CIA official added.
Not everyone, though, approved of the concept. The director general of Australia's office of National Intelligence, Andrew Shearer, said he was skeptical that china is uneasy about Pyongyang's relationship with Russia. "The idea of driving wedges between Putin and Xi is pretty fanciful and if we do not data-face up to the reality that Putin is only still in the war in ukraine today due to China's military, diplomatic, and dual-use support we are not going to fashion effective strategies," he stated.
 
Japanese onlookers likewise voiced similar skepticism. "China could not have been unaware of Russia's plans. Prof. Emi Mifune of Komazawa University's law school stated, "China cannot afford to see russia lose against the West, and if russia wins it helps set up a propaganda advantage and precedent for china in seeking to control Taiwan." Some argue that President Xi Jinping's government is just ignoring the recent events, while others have conjectured that beijing is uneasy about them due to China's quiet.