Perspective – Written by Angelina Nagy & Gergely Salát
Kim Jong Un took part in Beijing’s Victory Day celebrations as a guest of honor and held bilateral talks with Xi Jinping. Taken together, these moves point to a new stage in China–North Korea relations. Although Beijing has done much in recent decades to keep the North Korean economy alive, it has also supported UN sanctions, leading to a relationship marked by contradictions. Now, however, China has clearly decided to deepen ties, accepting the risks that come with it. Xi’s goal is to restore China’s influence over Pyongyang, which in recent years has drifted increasingly toward Russia. At the same time, Beijing’s high-profile display of support for Kim carries a broader message to the West: China and its partners are intent on building a multipolar world order, are willing to act in concert, and will not be constrained by Western sanctions. For North Korea, this translates to a significant expansion in the country’s room for maneuver—something Kim will likely try to exploit. These developments could also push the U.S. alliance system in East Asia toward even greater cohesion.
The full analysis is available here.