China’s President Xi Jinping has called for deeper coordination with North Korea on global and regional affairs, marking a renewed emphasis on Beijing-Pyongyang relations after years of limited engagement. Xi met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Beijing on Thursday, their first meeting in six years, underscoring the significance of the moment.
The talks came a day after Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined Xi at a grand military parade in the Chinese capital a rare sight that placed the three leaders together on the global stage. The parade, designed to project China’s growing military and geopolitical clout, provided the backdrop for a show of solidarity among the three nuclear-armed states.
“China and North Korea are good neighbours, good friends, and good comrades that share a common destiny,” Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV. He stressed the importance of strengthening strategic coordination to safeguard “common interests,” while pledging continued high-level exchanges, deeper communication, and broader cooperation across multiple sectors.
Kim, accompanied by his daughter and senior aides including his influential sister Kim Yo Jong, praised the parade as a display of China’s “great international status,” declaring, “China’s celebration is our celebration.” His visit marked his daughter’s first public appearance abroad, hinting at her growing symbolic role in North Korea’s statecraft.
While China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and formal treaty ally, the two countries’ relationship has faced strains in recent years, particularly as Kim has grown closer to Russia. His meeting with Putin earlier this week saw him promise “full support” for Russia’s military, a move that highlighted Pyongyang’s growing alignment with Moscow.
Against this backdrop, Xi’s reassurance that China’s policy toward North Korea would remain unchanged “no matter how the international situation evolves” signals Beijing’s intent to maintain influence over its neighbour. Analysts say the meeting reflects China’s effort to balance its ties with both Pyongyang and Moscow, while also reaffirming its traditional role as North Korea’s key ally.
Kim departed Beijing late Thursday aboard his signature green armoured train, ending a visit that could mark the start of a recalibrated triangular dynamic between China, North Korea, and Russia amid intensifying global power rivalries.
