China and North Korea boast of better relations after Xi-Kim talks

North Korea and China have a “deeper and more comprehensive mutual understanding”, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported after Chinese President Xi Jinping left Pyongyang on Tuesday afternoon following a summit with Kim Jong Un.

“The direction of future development has become clearer and more defined,” Xi said at a lunch before his departure, according to Xinhua.

A North Korean official Rodong Sinmun The newspaper reported after the summit that Xi and North Korean leader Kim discussed expanding bilateral cooperation and strengthening strategic communication, while deepening exchanges between political, economic and cultural sectors.

However, beyond diplomatic niceties, Xi’s first trip to North Korea since 2019 comes as Beijing sees its traditional ally drifting out of its orbit. Pyongyang has moved closer to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, providing both weapons and manpower in exchange for Russian military know-how and other support.

“China appears to be trying to revive and improve a relationship that many observers saw as largely symbolic,” Han Ki-bom, former deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), told DW.

He added that Xi’s visit was partly aimed at reducing North Korea’s growing dependence on Russia, as Beijing has grown increasingly concerned about North Korea’s close military cooperation with Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“This visit goes beyond improving bilateral relations,” Han said.

“While the 2019 Xi-Kim summit focused largely on repairing and strengthening bilateral relations, this week’s meeting suggests that Beijing increasingly views North Korea as a strategic partner in addressing broader international and regional challenges,” he added.

No mention of North Korean nuclear weapons

While supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, North Korea has also expanded its nuclear weapons program and tested a series of ballistic missiles in recent years.

Beijing has generally opposed North Korea’s nuclear development, including supporting several UN Security Council resolutions penalizing North Korea for its nuclear testing.

China’s official position advocates a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula to prevent regional instability, in one of the few areas where Beijing aligns with the United States. Chinese and American officials had already reiterated their support for denuclearization during recent diplomatic exchanges.

However, the Rodong Sinmun and reports of the summit in Chinese state media made no reference to North Korea’s nuclear program or denuclearization.

Before Xi’s visit, the North Korean Foreign Ministry said that the “denuclearization” of North Korea “would never happen.” On Sunday, Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, said North Korea’s “status as a nuclear-armed state constitutes a line of no retreat.”

Leader Kim Jong Un went on a publicity tour last week to see what South Korea called a new uranium enrichment facility.

Han said Beijing is increasingly avoiding publicly discussing denuclearization with Pyongyang.

“China does not formally recognize North Korea as a nuclear weapons state,” he said. “But by no longer emphasizing denuclearization, Beijing is effectively tolerating the reality of North Korea’s nuclear program,” he added.

Kim Hyung Suk, South Korea’s former vice minister of unification, said the visit was intended to demonstrate that China and North Korea continue to share a strategic partnership.

“The issue of North Korea’s denuclearization was intentionally omitted from the negotiations, while the focus was on political, military and economic cooperation,” Kim said.

A China-North Korea axis?

Former South Korean Unification Ministry spokesperson Jeong Joon-hee told DW that Pyongyang may seek to exploit China’s concerns about closer ties with Russia to gain tacit recognition of North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state.

At the same time, Beijing may view an emboldened North Korea as a stronger strategic partner moving forward.

“It is especially worth noting that strengthening the China-North Korea military alliance offers distinct advantages,” Jeong said.

“This allows North Korea to use its nuclear capabilities to deter the United States in the event of a crisis in Taiwan. Economically, it guarantees China’s access to the Sea of ​​Japan via North Korea, thus promoting the development of China’s northeastern region,” he added.

Han noted that official statements repeatedly emphasized “strategic cooperation” and coordination among countries’ top leaders, language that suggests a broader geopolitical dimension than that of previous summits.

What are the benefits for North Korea?

“For North Korea, better relations with China could bring significant economic and diplomatic benefits,” Han added.

“Pyongyang wants to avoid relying exclusively on Russia,” Han said. “By improving relations with Beijing and Moscow, Kim Jong Un can maximize North Korea’s influence and reap benefits from both sides.”

China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a crucial source of economic support despite international sanctions.

The two sides agreed not only to strengthen political and economic exchanges, but also to expand cooperation in multiple sectors, including diplomacy and strategic coordination, Jeong said.

He added that Pyongyang’s support for Beijing’s position on Taiwan and China’s support for North Korea’s political goals suggest that the two governments are increasingly willing to support each other’s core interests.

“The discussions indicate that China and North Korea are trying to establish a broader framework of cooperation beyond traditional bilateral relations,” Jeong said.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn