Kim Jong Un Supports China’s Vision for a Multipolar World
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed his backing for China’s initiative to create a “multipolar world” and emphasized the need for stronger connections between the longstanding allies during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to reports on Saturday. In the meeting held on Friday, Kim stated that his government will provide complete support for China’s endeavors to attain territorial integrity in accordance with its “one-China principle,” which refers to Beijing’s official stance that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory, as reported. Kim also articulated North Korea’s stance on certain regional and international matters of “mutual concern” and emphasized that the ongoing development of relations between the two nations has become increasingly vital in the present geopolitical landscape, according to sources.
Wang, during a two-day visit to North Korea, remarked that the relations between the countries were entering a “new phase” after last year’s summit between Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Embracing the concepts of a “new Cold War” and a “multipolarised world,” Kim has aimed to escape international isolation and promote a more assertive foreign policy by strengthening relationships with governments engaged in conflicts with the United States. In recent years, Kim has prioritized Russia in his foreign policy, dispatching thousands of troops and significant weapons shipments to bolster its war against Ukraine. Simultaneously, he has been strengthening ties with China, the North’s longstanding primary ally and economic lifeline. Kim participated in a World War II ceremony alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing in September and engaged in his first summit with Xi Jinping in six years, actions that bolstered his attempts to depict North Korea as part of a cohesive front against Washington.
Last month, North Korea and China reinstated direct flight and passenger train services that had been halted since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Wang arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday, marking his first visit to North Korea in seven years. He previously engaged with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui, discussing avenues to enhance cooperation and exchanges, as well as conducting “in-depth” discussions on international matters, according to reports from both nations. The state media outlets did not indicate whether Wang and North Korean officials addressed matters concerning the U.S. or the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Wang’s trip to North Korea occurred prior to US President Donald Trump’s journey to Beijing for a rescheduled summit with Xi Jinping in May.
Some South Korean officials have expressed optimism that the Trump-Xi meeting could create a diplomatic opportunity with Pyongyang. Kim has halted all significant discussions with the US and South Korea following the breakdown of his diplomatic efforts with Trump in 2019 during the American president’s initial term. Kim has adopted a firm position against South Korea, labeling it his “most hostile” adversary, and has dismissed US proposals to restart negotiations, urging Washington to abandon its insistence on North Korea’s denuclearization as a prerequisite.
