China-NK military talks

A North Korean delegation, led by Kim Su-gil, director of the General Political Bureau of North Korea’s People’s Army, has visited Beijing for high-level military talks with China.

This came amid a rift in security cooperation between South Korea and Japan, the key East Asian allies of the United States. This also came after North Korea conducted a series of short-range missile tests, some apparently in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

U.S. President Donald Trump has largely downplayed these launches, giving the North tacit approval to develop new shortrange missiles that threaten its allies.

Kim’s counterpart was Miao Hua, director of the political affairs department of Chin’s Central Military Commission. Both Kim and Miao were present at a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping in Pyongyang on June 20. Xi was the first Chinese leader to visit North Korea in 14 years.

A Chinese commander who attended the military talks with Pyongyang reportedly told the Chinese media that China and North Korea will boost military cooperation and work together to assure security in the “Asia Pacific.” This showed how China is viewing North Korea in the context of its escalating rivalry with the United States.

It is quite worrisome that North Korea is fostering closer military ties with China while its missile provocations are not properly checked by not only China, but also the U.S.