Xi calls China–North Korea ties "unbreakable," but Pyongyang's Russia pivot is testing Beijing's leverage
The Chinese leader's first trip to North Korea in 7 years comes as Pyongyang has moved closer to Russia. Kim Jong Un is likely to
The Chinese leader's first trip to North Korea in 7 years comes as Pyongyang has moved closer to Russia. Kim Jong Un is likely to seek more access to China's economic power, analysts say. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for his first visit to North Korea since 2019, at a time when an emboldened Kim Jong Un has expanded his regime's trade and military relationship with Russia. In a letter published in North Korea's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper ahead of his visit, Xi wrote, "no matter how times change or how the international situation evolves, the traditional friendship between China and North Korea remains unbreakable, enduring, and constantly radiates vitality." Since the North Korean dictatorship emerged out of the ashes of the Korean War, China has been Pyongyang's primary geopolitical and financial benefactor. However, as North Korea provides military support to Russia's war in Ukraine, Xi will be motivated to "consolidate and reconfirm the relationship with the North," said Choo Jae-woo, a professor of foreign policy at South Korea's Kyung Hee University's department of Chinese studies. Kim and Xi last met in September 2025 at a military parade in Beijing. China shows off military might in massive parade To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video North Korea gets closer to Russia "Kim has been very active in improving his relationship with Russia in the last few years and China clearly feels that it is lagging behind," Choo told DW.
Choo said it was significant that Xi's visit comes ahead of the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-North Korea "Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance." "The expectation was that Xi could go to Pyongyang on the anniversary, but I think it is significant that he has gone a month earlier," Choo said. "It would have been more appropriate for him to go on the July 11 anniversary, but going early shows that Xi is anxious about North Korea getting too close to Russia," he added. Choo also points out that China has, in recent months, permitted large-scale exports across the border into North Korea, while many of Kim's tourist resort projects are seeing large numbers of big-spending Chinese visitors. Kim is likely to trumpet bilateral ties and seek greater connections to China's vast economic power to bolster North Korea's economy, which has already reported a respectable 3% GDP growth in both of the last two years. North Korea's desire to be a 'normal state' Choo added that the visit by the Chinese leader also provides Kim an opportunity to boost North Korea's legitimacy and international respect on the global stage. "Kim wants the North to be seen as a 'normal state' and to use this visit to start to expand the scope and reach of his diplomatic efforts, such as by becoming part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization or part of the BRICS alliance," he said.
The BriefWire