JONG-UN HAILS ‘UNITY’ WITH CHINA IN NEW VISIT
Visit designed to reassure Beijing that its interest will not be neglected
KIM Jong-un concluded a two-day whirlwind visit to China yesterday, where he declared North Korea’s unstinting “friendship” with Beijing in a show of loyalty to his main ally following a landmark summit with United States President Donald Trump.
It was Kim’s third official visit to China, designed to reassure Beijing that Pyongyang would not neglect its interests as Trump and the young autocrat move into uncharted diplomatic terrain.
The performance was part of a delicate balancing act for Kim, who analysts said was seeking to play US and Chinese interests off each other while maintaining good relations with Beijing, his economic patron and diplomatic protector.
Kim chose Beijing for his first official foreign trip in March and met Xi again in May in the northeastern port city of Dalian.
Over the course of this twoday visit, Kim and Xi exchanged vows of friendship and promises of economic cooperation, in a carefully choreographed display of amity that ignored the recent history of chilly relations between the neighbours.
At yesterday’s meeting over tea at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Xi said that “the two sides have jointly created a new history of China-North Korea high-level exchanges”, according to the Xinhua state news agency.
“The momentum for dialogue and easing of situation on the Korean Peninsula has been effectively strengthened,” Xi said.
“With joint efforts of China, North Korea and related parties, the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia will surely embrace the bright prospects of peace, stability, development and prosperity,” Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.
Following the meeting, Kim toured China’s an agricultural technology park and rail traffic control centre in Beijing, Xinhua said, in a possible hint at some of the North’s goals for future economic cooperation with China.
The official media of both countries did not say whether Kim and Xi discussed the prospect of easing UN sanctions that have crippled North Korea’s economy, though analysts said it could have been part of the agenda.
China has backed UN sanctions against its ally but indicated last year that the UN Security Council could consider easing the punitive measures.