Chinese leader Xi Jinping and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un vowed to deepen strategic coordination during their first formal summit in six years, following a joint display of unity with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing.
Xi hosted Kim on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People, where the two leaders reaffirmed that their partnership will not waver “no matter how the international situation changes,” according to Chinese state media. Xi described China and North Korea as “good neighbors, good friends and good comrades bound by shared destiny,” while urging stronger coordination on global and regional affairs.
Kim pledged that North Korea will “invariably support” China in safeguarding its sovereignty and development interests, the Korean Central News Agency reported. The summit comes as Pyongyang has drawn closer to Moscow, supplying troops to aid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Notably, China’s readout made no mention of “denuclearization of the Korea Peninsular,” a break from past meetings. Analysts said the omission reflects a tacit acknowledgment of North Korea’s nuclear status. “Beijing and Pyongyang spoke warmly of friendship while leaving the issue of denuclearization untouched – effectively acquiescing to North Korea’s nuclear status,” said Wu Qiang, a Beijing-based analyst.
The high-profile summit followed Wednesday’s military parade marking 80 years since the end of World War II, where Xi, Putin and Kim appeared together publicly for the first time. The event, attended by 26 foreign leaders including Iran and Pakistan, showcased China’s growing bloc with Russia and North Korea in defiance of Western influence.
Experts say Xi’s meeting with Kim underscores Beijing’s attempt to reassert its role as Pyongyang’s key ally, even as North Korea strengthens ties with Moscow through a defense pact signed last year. China remains North Korea’s biggest trading partner and only formal military ally, providing a crucial lifeline to its heavily sanctioned economy.
Related Readings:
