China downplays North Korea missile tests despite diplomatic visit to Seoul

China's foreign ministry issued only a brief acknowledgment of North Korea's latest missile barrage, saying it had "noted the reports" and offering no "new comment" – a restrained stance that highlights Beijing's overriding priority of maintaining Pyongyang's stability rather than pressing for denuclearisation, analysts say.

The launches began just hours after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up a two-day visit to Seoul on Thursday, his first official trip to South Korea in nearly five years. North Korea fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles into the sea east of the peninsula, drawing condemnation from both South Korea and Japan as a provocation.

Diplomatic Engagement Without Leverage

The timing underscored a widening disconnect between Beijing's diplomatic outreach to both Koreas and its capacity – or willingness – to rein in North Korea's behaviour, according to Lee Seong-hyon, a senior fellow at the George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations.

During his Seoul meetings, Wang had called on South Korea to pursue "genuine strategic autonomy", avoid choosing sides between China and the United States, and work towards "peaceful coexistence" with the North.

Why Beijing Stays Silent

China's muted reaction reflects a longer-term calculation centred on regime stability in Pyongyang rather than immediate efforts to curb its weapons programme, analysts told the publication. By declining to criticise the missile tests publicly, Beijing signals that preserving North Korea as a buffer state and maintaining influence in the region outweigh any short-term diplomatic embarrassment tied to launches that coincide with high-level visits.

Source: South China Morning Post