Chill continues between North Korea and China as Pyongyang pivots to Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are seen ahead of a military parade marking the 80th Victory Day in Beijing, China, on Sept. 3, 2025. [TASS/YONHAP]

 
North Korea and China were expected to establish closer ties after Kim Jong-un’s trip to Beijing for the Victory Day celebrations on Sept. 3 last year. But four months have passed and improved relations have not materialized, with predictions of a thaw between Pyongyang and Beijing proving to have been premature.
 
One key indicator is the long-delayed opening of the New Yalu River Bridge between Dandong in China and Sinuiju in North Korea. Although final preparations were reportedly underway late last year, the project has made little progress.
 
 
Adding to the cold atmosphere, North Korea issued a series of pointed responses targeting the South Korea-China summit earlier this month.
 
On Jan. 4, the same day President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Beijing for a state visit, Pyongyang launched a new ballistic missile believed to be hypersonic. On Jan. 5, Kim visited a construction site for a Russian war memorial, emphasizing his alignment with Moscow.
 
On Jan. 14, Kim Yo-jong, the North leader’s powerful sister and widely seen as his mouthpiece, issued a statement criticizing Lee’s summit diplomacy.  
 

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a commemorative photo using a Xiaomi smartphone at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 5, following a state banquet. The phone was a gift from Xi to Lee during their summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, last year. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

 
“No matter how much a leader begs abroad or how sincerely authorities pretend to show goodwill, nothing will change in reality if it’s just a delusion,” Kim Yo-jong said in a statement.
 
Her remarks were seen as a jab at Lee’s request to Chinese President Xi Jinping for mediation in the North Korean nuclear issue.
 
Analysts speculate North Korea is expressing its disapproval at the nuclear issue being discussed between Seoul and Beijing without its participation.
 
This diplomatic chill has also been reflected in North Korea’s state media.
 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, is seen in a private vehicle with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2025. [RODONG SINMUN]

 
The state-run Rodong Sinmun published an article on Jan. 8 on its second page stating that Kim Jong-un had sent New Year’s cards to foreign leaders. While Xi and Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan were listed first, they were not named directly — only referred to by title — and grouped with leaders from Vietnam, Singapore and Tajikistan in a brief mention.
 
This contrasts with the extensive coverage given to Kim’s exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of last year and beginning of this year, underscoring Pyongyang’s pivot toward Moscow.
 
“China has not met North Korea’s expectations when it comes to boosting tourism or helping to undermine sanctions,” said Oh Kyung-seob, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification. “North Korea is likely to continue leveraging its relationship with Russia to maximize its strategic interests in the meantime.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHUNG YEONG-GYO [[email protected]]