US president urges Chinese counterpart to intervene in North Korea's troop deployment to Russia

US President Joe Biden urges Chinese leader Xi Jinping to use influence to prevent North Korea from sending troops to Russia.

Amid growing concerns about military ties between Russia and North Korea, US President Joe Biden has urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to leverage China's influence to prevent further escalation of the conflict, including the deployment of additional North Korean troops to Russia, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

During discussions on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Lima, Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan revealed that the US president emphasised China's significant influence over Pyongyang and urged Beijing to use all its leverage to curb this dangerous dynamic.

"Biden told Xi that China has both influence and leverage, and should use them to try to prevent further escalation or the expansion of the conflict, including the deployment of additional North Korean forces," Sullivan explained, adding that, according to the US president, this development poses a serious threat both to Europe and the Korean Peninsula. Biden also emphasised that deepening cooperation between Russia and North Korea is likely to increase the chances of provocative actions by Pyongyang. 

Earlier, both Seoul and Washington confirmed that North Korean troops sent to Russia's Kursk region are already engaged in combat operations against Ukrainian forces. These developments have heightened concerns that further militarization of ties between Moscow and Pyongyang could escalate tensions in the region. In response to Biden's requests, Xi Jinping stated that China will not allow "conflict and chaos" on the Korean Peninsula, emphasizing that "China will not sit idly by when its strategic security and core interests are at risk." 

According to the Chinese leader, China is ready to play an active role in resolving the situation, but with consideration for its own strategic interests. 

The summit was held amid expectations that incoming US President Donald Trump may take a tougher stance on China regarding trade and other key issues. During his meeting with Biden, Xi Jinping stated that China is ready to work with the Trump administration.

“How we get along with each other can affect the rest of the world, and our two countries cannot allow competition to turn into conflict,” Biden said, emphasizing the importance of stable relations between the two nations. 

For his part, Xi also reaffirmed his commitment to stability in US-China relations, stating that "stable relations between the US and China are critically important not only for the interests of the Chinese and American peoples but also for the future and destiny of all humanity." 

He noted that during global instability, big countries should not adopt a "small yard, high fences" approach, referencing the strict restrictions that the Biden administration has imposed on key Chinese technologies.

"As two major countries, China and the US must keep in mind the interests of the entire world and bring more confidence and positive energy to an unsettled world," Xi added.

By Naila Huseynova