The United States Senate has received a detailed security report highlighting increasing military cooperation and transactional support between Russia, China, and North Korea — a development that top US military officials warn poses significant security risks in the Indo-Pacific region.
Adm. Samuel Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, raised concerns before the Senate Armed Services Committee, revealing how China and North Korea are providing critical military aid to Russia amid its ongoing war with Ukraine.
In return, Russia is offering technological support to both nations, particularly in advancing their military capabilities.
According to Paparo, China has supplied Russia with 70% of its machine tools and 90% of its legacy computer chips — resources essential for rebuilding Moscow’s war infrastructure.
In exchange, Russia is assisting China with advanced technologies, especially in submarine development.
“The military collaboration among these three countries is creating a security environment that threatens stability in the Indo-Pacific,” Paparo told the committee.
He further disclosed that North Korea has supplied Russia with thousands of artillery shells, short-range missiles, and possibly sent soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
In return, Pyongyang is expected to receive air-defense systems and surface-to-air missiles from Moscow.
Paparo described the relationship as a “transactional symbiosis,” where each nation leverages the other’s weaknesses for mutual strategic gain.
Gen. Xavier Brunson, Commander of US Forces Korea, also briefed the committee on North Korea’s growing military capabilities, noting its advancement in hypersonic weapons and nuclear technology.
“North Korea now boasts a Russian-equipped, augmented, and modernized military force of over 1.3 million personnel,” Brunson said, emphasizing that Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs present a direct threat to the US and its allies.
The Senate Committee also deliberated on the future of the US military presence in South Korea, where 28,500 American troops are currently stationed, amid debates over potential personnel cuts.