Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia could throw regional stability off course, especially if the visit ends in an arms deal or military cooperation
Vladimir's Rollout Putin's red carpet appearance in front of North Korea's Kim Jong Un is likely to anger Xi Jinping.
For China, North Korea has long been its irascible little brother. rather than playing the more obedient role he would like to play – obeying and depending on Beijing's instructions.
For Xi Jinping, choosing Moscow over Beijing is fraudulent and even an insult. for a rare visit abroad, his first in years, especially as China has become North Korea's lifeline during the pandemic.
Worse, Kim's visit could throw off course regional stability, which China deeply appreciates, especially if the visit ends in an arms deal or military cooperation, as Moscow and Pyongyang have hinted.
It's unclear. As significant as North Korea's military support may be for Russia, anything that could prolong the war in Ukraine or complicate the path to resolution is problematic for Beijing.
Best quotes from Kim Jong Un and Putin
Ahn Arms deal with North Korea could also lead to the Kremlin turning to China for further support, putting Beijing in an increasingly awkward position.
Russia's war in Ukraine has been a headache for Beijing from day one.< /p>
The conflict is hampering China's broader ambitions as it emerges from the pandemic – primarily to show the world that it is open and ready to do business again after years of isolation.
Kim Jong Un meets with Vladimir Putin at a space base in the Russian Far East on Wednesday Photo: Sputnik/Reuters
But it wasn't smooth sailing for Beijing as it came at a time of geopolitical tension due to harsher China.
Beijing does not want to be forced to take sides. Xi has personally courted Putin, so it would be awkward to publicly sever ties with Russia at this point – it would indicate that Xi may have made the wrong decision.
This is why Beijing has more than a year. into the war, avoids condemning Putin's invasion and refuses to publicly take sides.
But Putin's meeting with Kim is another indication that Xi may indeed have made the wrong choices in moving forward with Russia.
However, Xi ultimately views this as a turning point for China's rise. , and communist states like it that way, so it must find a way to ride the wave.
From Beijing's perspective, the sooner the war ends, the better. This prospect is likely the driving force behind its attempts to act as a peacemaker.
But above all, closer cooperation between North Korea and Russia could upset the delicate balance in the Indo-Pacific, a region where China is so has been pulling the puppet strings for a long time.
Nothing can completely deprive China of its dominant position, but anything that could potentially destabilize – even just a fraction – will upset Beijing at a time when what it wants is smoother operating Wednesday.
For North Korea, deal or no deal, a visit to Russia gives it bragging rights – a way to show that it remains relevant and that it can even help big countries.
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