China watching North Korea's friendship with Russia

Summary

Kim Jong Un’s alignment with Putin, bolstered by reported North Korean support for Russia’s Ukraine invasion, complicates China’s regional strategy, raising fears of instability at its borders.

Xi Jinping seeks control over North Korea but faces challenges as Kim favors Russia over China, heightening tensions in East Asia.

With South Korea considering nuclear options and U.S. interests intensifying, Beijing is caught between strategic ambitions and the destabilizing effects of the Putin-Kim alliance.