North Korea and China appeared to be mending their relationship last year, but recent events suggest a continued lukewarm attitude. This was particularly evident in North Korea’s seemingly dismissive treatment of President Xi Jinping’s New Year message.
On Thursday, the ruling party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that New Year’s greetings were sent to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un from heads of state, party leaders, and prominent figures from various countries on the occasion of the 2026 New Year.
The newspaper mentioned that President Xi and his wife, along with the presidents of Vietnam, Myanmar (interim), Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Algeria, sent New Year’s cards to Kim.
This approach markedly differs from previous years when the newspaper would prominently feature the full text of greetings exchanged between President Xi and Kim. Notably, the report did not indicate whether Kim had responded to Xi’s message.
On January 1, 2024, dubbed the Year of North Korea-China Friendship, the newspaper prominently published the complete texts of New Year’s greetings exchanged between Xi and Kim. However, last year, Xi’s greeting was merely mentioned alongside those from other countries, without disclosing its specific contents.
In contrast, North Korea has given significant coverage to President Vladimir Putin’s greeting. Rodong Sinmun had already published the full text of Putin’s New Year message to Kim on December 18 of the previous year. Subsequently, on December 27, it revealed the complete text of Kim’s New Year’s card to Putin.
While Kim’s visit to Beijing in September for a summit with Xi, marking the 80th anniversary of China’s wartime victory, had led some observers to conclude that bilateral relations were improving, North Korea’s approach to New Year reporting suggests that a full restoration of ties has not yet materialized, contrary to external assessments.