During a meeting with North Korea’s top leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that in the face of an ever-changing and turbulent international landscape, China and North Korea should firmly defend their respective sovereignty, security, and development interests, while further strengthening communication and coordination on major international and regional affairs.
It is rumored that U.S. President Trump may visit China next month and possibly meet with Kim Jong Un during the trip. Scholars interviewed said that Wang Yi’s visit may be to sound out Pyongyang in advance of such a meeting, and that the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the signing of the “China-North Korea Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance Treaty” could be an opportunity to reconsolidate Beijing and Pyongyang’s military alliance, as well as possibly pave the way for another visit to North Korea by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Wang Yi’s two-day visit to North Korea this week is his first since September 2019 and the second in six and a half years. After arriving in Pyongyang on Thursday, he met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui at the Guesthouse of Mount Kumsusan and attended a welcome banquet hosted by the North Korean government that evening.
According to North Korea’s KCNA, Wang Yi at the banquet criticized the United States and Western powers for intensifying sanctions and pressure on North Korea, noting that North Korea has countered these moves and made continuous new achievements in socialist construction.
On Friday, Wang Yi made a special trip to Jiangdong County in eastern Pyongyang to pay tribute at the cemetery where 1,383 Chinese People's Volunteer Army martyrs of the Korean War are buried, stating this should serve as a base for carrying forward the traditional China-North Korea friendship and provide strong spiritual support for the development of relations between the two countries.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Kim Jong Un met with Wang Yi the same day at the headquarters of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee in Pyongyang. This is the second time Wang Yi, since his three visits as Foreign Minister in May 2018, has been received by Kim Jong Un. During his 2019 visit, Wang Yi met only with then Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and International Department head Ri Su Yong.
On Friday, Wang Yi pointed out that Kim Jong Un visited China in September last year and attended the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, holding a historic meeting with Xi Jinping that propelled China-North Korea relations into a new era. He said China is willing to work with North Korea to jointly implement the important consensus reached between the top leaders of the two parties and countries, maintain close exchanges, promote practical cooperation, and inject new contemporary meaning into traditional Sino-DPRK friendship.
According to Xinhua, Kim Jong Un remarked that China-North Korea relations have risen to a new height. In the current volatile and rapidly changing international situation, continuously deepening and developing relations between the two countries aligns with their common interests, and is the unwavering will and established policy of the North Korean party and government.
Kim Jong Un also stated that he firmly supports Beijing’s rightful position and all efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity on issues such as Taiwan. Pyongyang is also willing to further high-level exchanges with Beijing, enhance strategic communication, and resolutely support each other.
AFP pointed out Friday that Wang Yi’s visit comes as the Trump administration is seeking to resume high-level dialogue with Pyongyang.
Ding Shufan, Honorary Professor at National Chengchi University's Institute of East Asian Studies in Taiwan, told United Daily News that Wang Yi’s visit is aimed at sounding out for the potential 'Trump-Kim Summit' this year: 'They hope Pyongyang will let Beijing fully understand what the conditions would be if Trump and Kim Jong Un meet. This is China's main concern.'
Ding noted that if Trump and Kim Jong Un meet again, Trump may demand North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Beijing seems to no longer insist on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, nor coordinate with Western sanctions against North Korea, which energizes renewed cooperation and gives Kim more confidence to face Trump’s pressure.
On Thursday, Wang Yi held talks with Choe Son Hui. According to KCNA, both sides agreed to further deepen multi-faceted exchanges and cooperation on the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-DPRK Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance Treaty, and to strengthen the strategic communication and coordination between their foreign policy organizations.
This treaty was signed in 1961 by then North Korean leader Kim Il Sung and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, stipulating that 'if either party comes under armed attack and is in a state of war, the other party shall give all military and other assistance.'
Ding Shufan analyzed that Kim Jong Un may have a greater willingness to reinforce the military alliance with Beijing to counterbalance the growing disorder in the international order exacerbated by Trump.
Separately, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency on Friday quoted Sejong Institute’s chief research fellow Jung Jae-hung as analyzing, Wang Yi’s visit may also be to discuss the possibility of Kim Jong Un visiting China. Ding Shufan, however, believes that since Kim Jong Un already visited China in September last year, Wang Yi’s trip is more likely to pave the way for another visit to North Korea by Xi Jinping; Xi’s last visit was in June 2019, nearly seven years ago.
Wang Yi’s two-day visit to North Korea this week is his first since September 2019 and the second in six and a half years. After arriving in Pyongyang on Thursday, he met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui at the Guesthouse of Mount Kumsusan and attended a welcome banquet hosted by the North Korean government that evening.
According to North Korea’s KCNA, Wang Yi at the banquet criticized the United States and Western powers for intensifying sanctions and pressure on North Korea, noting that North Korea has countered these moves and made continuous new achievements in socialist construction.
On Friday, Wang Yi made a special trip to Jiangdong County in eastern Pyongyang to pay tribute at the cemetery where 1,383 Chinese People's Volunteer Army martyrs of the Korean War are buried, stating this should serve as a base for carrying forward the traditional China-North Korea friendship and provide strong spiritual support for the development of relations between the two countries.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Kim Jong Un met with Wang Yi the same day at the headquarters of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee in Pyongyang. This is the second time Wang Yi, since his three visits as Foreign Minister in May 2018, has been received by Kim Jong Un. During his 2019 visit, Wang Yi met only with then Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and International Department head Ri Su Yong.
On Friday, Wang Yi pointed out that Kim Jong Un visited China in September last year and attended the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, holding a historic meeting with Xi Jinping that propelled China-North Korea relations into a new era. He said China is willing to work with North Korea to jointly implement the important consensus reached between the top leaders of the two parties and countries, maintain close exchanges, promote practical cooperation, and inject new contemporary meaning into traditional Sino-DPRK friendship.
According to Xinhua, Kim Jong Un remarked that China-North Korea relations have risen to a new height. In the current volatile and rapidly changing international situation, continuously deepening and developing relations between the two countries aligns with their common interests, and is the unwavering will and established policy of the North Korean party and government.
Kim Jong Un also stated that he firmly supports Beijing’s rightful position and all efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity on issues such as Taiwan. Pyongyang is also willing to further high-level exchanges with Beijing, enhance strategic communication, and resolutely support each other.
AFP pointed out Friday that Wang Yi’s visit comes as the Trump administration is seeking to resume high-level dialogue with Pyongyang.
Ding Shufan, Honorary Professor at National Chengchi University's Institute of East Asian Studies in Taiwan, told United Daily News that Wang Yi’s visit is aimed at sounding out for the potential 'Trump-Kim Summit' this year: 'They hope Pyongyang will let Beijing fully understand what the conditions would be if Trump and Kim Jong Un meet. This is China's main concern.'
Ding noted that if Trump and Kim Jong Un meet again, Trump may demand North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Beijing seems to no longer insist on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, nor coordinate with Western sanctions against North Korea, which energizes renewed cooperation and gives Kim more confidence to face Trump’s pressure.
On Thursday, Wang Yi held talks with Choe Son Hui. According to KCNA, both sides agreed to further deepen multi-faceted exchanges and cooperation on the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-DPRK Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance Treaty, and to strengthen the strategic communication and coordination between their foreign policy organizations.
This treaty was signed in 1961 by then North Korean leader Kim Il Sung and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, stipulating that 'if either party comes under armed attack and is in a state of war, the other party shall give all military and other assistance.'
Ding Shufan analyzed that Kim Jong Un may have a greater willingness to reinforce the military alliance with Beijing to counterbalance the growing disorder in the international order exacerbated by Trump.
Separately, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency on Friday quoted Sejong Institute’s chief research fellow Jung Jae-hung as analyzing, Wang Yi’s visit may also be to discuss the possibility of Kim Jong Un visiting China. Ding Shufan, however, believes that since Kim Jong Un already visited China in September last year, Wang Yi’s trip is more likely to pave the way for another visit to North Korea by Xi Jinping; Xi’s last visit was in June 2019, nearly seven years ago.