North Korea may have already shared with China the fundamental direction of issues to be discussed and finalized at the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party, expected to convene in late 2023 or early 2024. This development suggests China’s influence could significantly increase in North Korea’s future foreign policy decisions. It also underscores the growing importance of strategic communication between China and South Korea.
On Thursday, the party’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported that Zhang Qingwei, deputy chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, attended a banquet hosted by the North Korean embassy in China on Monday to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the regime’s founding. Zhang stated that he sincerely hopes that the upcoming 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea will usher in a new phase of socialist development according to the blueprint it presents.
This statement is noteworthy as it goes beyond a simple congratulatory message, using the term blueprint, which implies that the North Korean party congress will offer specific plans or guidelines.
In February, during a banquet at the North Korean embassy in China celebrating Kim Jong Il’s birthday, the Chinese side also expressed wishes for a victorious 9th Party Congress. At that time, Zhu Guangyao, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, attended and spoke at the banquet.
However, the use of the term blueprint suggests that China may already be aware of the specific policies or visions to be adopted at the party congress. This raises the possibility that North Korea is engaging in close consultations with China as it seeks to redefine its diplomatic, economic, and military policies through the 9th Party Congress. It also indicates that China is actively supporting North Korea’s direction while simultaneously exerting its influence by presenting its preferred course to Pyongyang.
These developments have significant implications for South Korea. If North Korea is formulating a new foreign strategy in alignment with China, Seoul may be able to anticipate Pyongyang’s future policies through close communication with Beijing.
On September 4, Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time in six years to discuss issues related to the Korean Peninsula and international and regional matters. During this meeting, Xi conveyed a message to advance the shared socialist cause of both countries through strategic communication and close cooperation, signaling China’s intent to expand its influence over North Korea.