North Korea was high on the agenda when Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin met in Moscow late last month. 

Though Pyongyang may not wish to enmesh itself in China and Russia’s “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era,” the increasing alignment of its two largest neighbors presents a constellation of advantages it won’t find anywhere else.

Shielded from any serious consequences for its weapons testing at the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), North Korea can accelerate its nuclear and missile development. Accusations by Russia and China that the U.S. and