It is also likely to be unwelcome news in China, which has long been North Korea’s main ally but whose influence over the reclusive nuclear-armed state is being eroded by leader Kim Jong Un’s growing relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

Ehhhh.

On one hand, yes. North Korea plays Russia against China, and during this war, North Korea can provide things that Russia really wants, so China probably has less direct pull in North Korea than normal.

But…the flip side of that is that China’s influence over Russia is also probably at an all-time high, in part as a result of this conflict.

And my guess is that the China-Russia effect is much-more-likely to be a long-lived effect than the Russia-North-Korea effect, due to things like economic and technical ties being established. Just the other day, I read an article talking about how it was expected that North Korea’s relationship with Russia would probably do quite a bit to head back in the direction of normal after the war.

My expectation is that China can probably afford to play the long game.

I suppose the real question here is, is Xi bothered enough to actually do something about it, or is this just more grumbling.

Complete utter BS headline.

DPRK getting stronger is a natural effect of US demonic hegemony. And China does not see DPRK getting funding for Russian support as a threat to China. DPRK being a nuclear proxy on US and colonies is an asset to rest of “genuinely free”/multipolar world.

There are no Chinese officials rebuking DPRK quoted.

and that really, in many ways, supplants China as North Korea’s most important protector.”

Pure projection statements for EU’s colonial status and their acceptance of Nordstream sabotage. China’s support of DPRK is a humanitarian expense. The whole article is reminiscent of BS that Russia and China are deep rivals and hate each other, even as stupidity drives them into very close allies. That DPRK is/gets supported by Russia is no threat to China whatsoever.

Ian Bremer comments are pure worthlessness as well. China’s peace plan for Ukraine is the same as Russia’s.

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