China's alliance with Russia, N. Korea a matter of concern: Japan report

China, Russia and North Korea have formed a de facto alliance and their rivalry with the US-led security framework involving Tokyo and Seoul may grow, a report released on Nov 20 bya think-tank of Japan’s Defence Ministry said.

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China is bolstering military ties with Russia through joint exercises while not preventing North Korea’s dispatch of troops to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine, raising security concerns in Northeast Asia, the National Institute for Defence Studies said in its annual report.

The report came as Japan’s tensions with China have intensified since comments by pro-Taiwan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Tokyo's potential involvement in a contingency related to Communist-led Beijing and the self-ruled, democratic island.