During the North Korea-China summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean Workers’ Party General Secretary Kim Jong Un characterized their countries’ relationship as a strategic cooperative partnership, signaling a strong commitment to enhancing comprehensive cooperation. In an op-ed published in the Rodong Sinmun before his visit to North Korea, Xi frequently invoked the term strategy, while Kim emphasized strategic communication and cooperation during their meeting.
Xi and Kim repeatedly underscored the strategic nature of their relationship. On Monday, Xi stated in a front-page op-ed in the Rodong Sinmun that high-level strategic guidance is the greatest asset in North Korea-China relations. He noted that he has met with Kim six times in recent years, maintaining close strategic communication and jointly crafting the blueprint for North Korea-China relations.
Xi also remarked that high-level strategic cooperation embodies the historical significance of North Korea-China relations, adding that he firmly believes that both sides will continuously deepen strategic cooperation to successfully navigate the path of peace, development, cooperation, and shared prosperity for humanity.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining North Korea-China relations at a strategic level, stating that this will drive both China and North Korea toward greater development in line with the times, using the term strategy nine times.
According to Xinhua News Agency, during his opening remarks at the summit with Xi, Kim stated that strengthening and developing the North Korea-China friendship is the people’s choice, a demand of the times, and the unwavering strategic choice and firm strategic will of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). He added that it continues to view the development of North Korea-China relations as the state’s most important and top strategic priority.
Furthermore, Xi stated that it will maintain a firm resolve to safeguard a favorable strategic environment, particularly emphasizing the need for both countries to enhance their joint response capabilities in the rapidly changing international landscape, as reported by Xinhua.
Both leaders’ emphasis on strategy indicates their intention to strengthen and develop North Korea-China relations from a traditional friendship to a cooperative system that shares long-term interests, which they refer to as a strategic partnership.
In his op-ed, Xi stressed that it must deepen strategic communication and firmly establish the correct direction for the development of China-North Korea relations. It should maintain the excellent tradition of high-level exchanges between the parties and states and visit each other frequently like family.
Anticipating an expansion of comprehensive exchanges in areas such as economy and military, Xi proposed four development plans for advancing North Korea-China relations during the meeting: building a foundation of mutual trust, enhancing practical cooperation, strengthening people-to-people bonds, and establishing substantial strategic cooperation.
Xi also emphasized the need to strengthen exchanges in diplomacy, law enforcement, and military, while expanding cooperation in sectors such as trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, and healthcare. He called for the full reopening of border trade zones and the resumption of civilian flights and international passenger train operations to enhance people-to-people exchanges.
The full reopening of border trade zones suggests a comprehensive restart of trade outlets along the North Korea-China border, including areas like Sinuiju and Dandong. This indicates that North Korea and China plan to fully open their borders, anticipating a significant increase in trade and human exchanges.
Additionally, discussions about military exchanges hint at possible joint exercises involving North Korea, China, and potentially Russia. There is speculation about joint drills in the East Sea, where North Korea and Russia seek to expand their influence in the Pacific, countering Japan’s military buildup and efforts to contain China.
The frequent use of the term strategy by Xi and Kim during this meeting suggests that they reached an agreement to elevate their relationship to a strategic partner level in response to the evolving international situation.
Kim praised Xi for choosing North Korea as his first overseas destination this year, stating that this visit once again clearly demonstrates how solid and unbreakable the North Korea-China relationship is, which has always stood on the right side of history through long trials. This statement also served to legitimize both sides’ positions.