China’s President Xi returns home after closely watched trip to North Korea
Xi’s first trip to North Korea since 2019 comes as Beijing seeks to manage risk while Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs expand.
- Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Tuesday following a two-day visit to Pyongyang, North Korea, his first in seven years, during which he met with leader Kim Jong-un to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation.
- The visit occurred as North Korea gains leverage from its advancing nuclear program and growing ties with Russia, which now provides "dual patronage." Beijing remains Pyongyang's principal economic lifeline, supplying goods and connectivity Moscow cannot fully substitute.
- During the summit, leaders pledged to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, and technology, with Kim reaffirming support for China's "one-China" policy regarding Taiwan. Reports did not mention discussions regarding North Korea's nuclear program.
- South Korea's Yonhap reported that calls for expanded military cooperation between Beijing and Pyongyang warrant close monitoring. Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun accompanied Jinping during the trip, unlike his 2019 visit, while North Korean media made no mention of military cooperation.
- Analyst Kim Gyubeom from the Institute for National Security Strategy said China pursues a "managerial approach" that neither fully supports nor strongly pressures Pyongyang, prioritizing regional stability while maintaining strategic communication with the North.
25 Articles
25 Articles
On Monday and Tuesday, the Chinese President made the first visit of a Chinese Head of State to North Korea in seven years, marking a desire for greater cooperation between the two countries. One subject was absent from the proceedings: the North Korean nuclear programme. And that is not annoyance.
China's head of state Xi meets North Korea's leader Kim in Pyongyang. What geopolitical role his regime plays in East Asia.
Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea has two main recipients: Moscow, whose influence on Pyongyang Beijing does not want to grow further. And Washington, for example, with a view to Taiwan. By Marie von Mallinckrodt.
North Korea's economy is growing, which is also why China's president wants to strengthen his partnership with the neighbour, but he saves on one issue during his visit.
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