Apparent thaw in North Korea-China ties could signal alliance recalibration

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Apparent thaw in North Korea-China ties could signal alliance recalibration

Published: 08 Apr. 2025, 16:36 Updated: 08 Apr. 2025, 21:05

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

From left: North Korea eader Kim Jong-un, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian president Vladimir Putin [JOONGANG PHOTO]

In a move that could signal a recalibration of regional alliances, Chinese personnel returned to North Korea last month for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, as Pyongyang appears to be rekindling ties with Beijing after a period of closer alignment with Russia.

The Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang announced Monday that 14 staff members arrived in North Korea on March 31. The delegation, assigned to a facility commemorating Chinese soldiers killed during the Korean War, marks the first such entry since the border was sealed in early 2020.

Analysts see the move as a signal that North Korea and China are resuming people-to-people exchanges ahead of the 75th anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War this year.

Tensions between North Korea and China had grown more visible in recent months as Pyongyang deepened military and strategic cooperation with Moscow. The two countries notably avoided sending high-level delegations to each other's official events. However, recent developments suggest a shift in tone.

On March 25, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry highlighted the anniversary of the first summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping in March 2018, calling it a “milestone” in advancing bilateral relations. Five days later, Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun visited a Chinese war cemetery in South Hamgyong, referring to the continued development of friendly relations between the two countries.

Analysts say North Korea’s efforts to improve ties with China may be driven by economic necessity. Pyongyang, heavily dependent on Chinese trade, is seeking cooperation from Beijing to make progress on its domestic development plans, including regional revitalization and tourism initiatives promoted under Kim Jong-un.

Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun, center, is seen visiting a memorial facility in North Korea for Chinese troops who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War on April 1 in this photo provided by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang. [YONHAP]

“Russia may be able to offer military and medical technology or help generate foreign currency by accepting North Korean workers, but when it comes to trade and supplies for factory operations or attracting large numbers of tourists, North Korea urgently needs China’s cooperation,” said Oh Kyung-seop, senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said North Korea is likely preparing a major celebration for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party in October. “If senior Chinese officials attend the event alongside Russian representatives, it will carry significant political meaning for Pyongyang,” he said.

With Ukraine war negotiations gaining momentum, North Korea may also be reassessing the strategic costs and benefits of its alignment with Moscow. At the same time, Beijing may view closer management of North Korea as a strategic necessity, given the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China.

Experts also suggest that domestic pressure may be accelerating Pyongyang’s diplomatic shift. The deadline for Kim Jong-un’s five-year national economic development plan, introduced at the Eighth Party Congress in 2021, is approaching at the end of next year. Kim acknowledged at the time that the previous five-year strategy had largely failed.

This file photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on March 22, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un, right, shaking hands with Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia's Security Council, in Pyongyang the previous day. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

According to experts, little tangible progress has been made in most sectors — besides defense — since the new plan was introduced. Key areas affecting daily life, such as agriculture, light industry and construction, remain underdeveloped. Kim’s increased public activity on economic issues in the first quarter of this year — seven appearances compared to the 2020-2024 average of 3.8 — also suggests growing urgency.

As the Ninth Party Congress approaches, Kim is also believed to be seeking to cement his legacy as a leader surpassing his predecessors. In a possible sign of this, North Korea appears to have renamed its annual international marathon. According to South Korea’s Unification Ministry, Pyongyang dropped “Mangyongdae,” a reference to Kim Il Sung’s birthplace, from the marathon’s official title for the first time in six years.

The event, formerly called the "Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon," is now simply the "Pyongyang International Marathon." Observers see the change as part of a broader effort to elevate Kim Jong-un’s image while gradually de-emphasizing his family legacy.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY LEE YU-JUNG, CHUNG YEONG-GYO [[email protected]]