Kim Jong Un Visits China to Strengthen Ties Amid Regional Tensions
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un underscored expanded cooperation with China on Tuesday during a visit to the Chinese border city of Dandong, where he travelled with his sister, Kim Yo Jong, and the country’s foreign minister to inspect a war memorial hall and a newly opened bridge between the two countries.
The bridge, linking Pyongyang and Beijing, has now been put into use after years of delay, a move some observers see as a sign of strengthening trade ties between the two countries. During his visit, Kim expressed hope that the bridge could deepen the historical ties and relations between the peoples of the two nations.
North Korea’s state media described the visit as a historically significant event and emphasised the “inseparable” relationship dating back to the 1950-1953 war. On the trip, Kim thanked the Chinese people for their support of North Korea during that period. The move came as tensions in the region have risen and as the United States prepares for its president’s trip to Asia.
Reuters described the visit as a delicate diplomatic manoeuvre that comes amid Pyongyang’s strengthening military ties with Russia. The trip marks Kim’s first visit to China in more than two years, while China has also hosted the North Korean leader this year.
Meanwhile, security on the Korean peninsula remains fragile and, despite the 1950-1953 armistice, North and South Korea are still technically at war. China’s closeness to North Korea and Russia, along with South Korea’s ties with the United States, has made the region one of the most sensitive in the world.
