Visiting China, Kim Jong-un wants to show himself as an "equal player"

The historic and unexpected visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to China is believed to have many hidden purposes in the context of important changes in the internal situation of the two countries and international developments.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and officials from both countries hold talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua.

Historical milestone

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to China was kept secret until the very end, with the media and public speculating only on images of a blue and yellow train - similar to the one that has carried North Korean leaders to China in the past - arriving in Beijing amid tight security.

Thus, this is Mr. Kim Jong-un's first foreign trip since he took power in 2011. It can be seen that over the past 7 years, in addition to confronting the US, leader Kim Jong-un has also expressed a policy stance of "leaving China".

That is evident in North Korea's determination to develop weapons despite external pressure, at least until it possesses nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reaching the United States.

North Korea’s repeated missile and nuclear tests in late 2016 and throughout 2017 have left China in a bind: pressured by the US and “outwitted” by North Korea. Beijing was forced to impose sanctions to stop importing coal from North Korea, further chilling bilateral relations.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits China for the first time since 2011. Photo: Xinhua

In such a context, the North Korean leader’s surprise visit to Beijing this time can be considered an important “historic milestone” in improving Sino-North Korean relations. It has been a long time since people have seen handshakes and flowery language in the relationship between these two neighbors and allies.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a “new era” and hoped for “fruitful friendship” in bilateral relations with China in a letter to President Xi Jinping and invited Xi to visit Pyongyang.

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed that he attaches importance to the friendly and cooperative relationship with North Korea under the motto of maintaining it well, consolidating it well, and developing it well.

4 proposals of Xi Jinping to North Korea

The first:continue to promote the orientation of relations in high-level exchanges.

Monday:To promote tradition, the two sides need to regularly discuss in depth important issues.

Tuesday:actively promote peace, development, win-win cooperation, benefit the people of the two countries, contribute to maintaining peace, stability and development in the region.

Wednesday:Through various forms, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, consolidate the foundation of people-to-people relations between the two countries, especially among the young generation, and inherit and promote the traditional China-DPRK relationship.

What is the push?

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s first official visit to China has clearly brought a breath of fresh air, breaking the ice in the long-standing Sino-North Korean relationship. So what is the “push” for this change?

It is not difficult to see that the North Korean leader's visit to Beijing is largely related to the bilateral summits between North Korea, South Korea and the United States scheduled for April and May. This is not only a major event for North Korean diplomacy but also an important development in international politics.

Some observers believe that Pyongyang may need support and advice from Beijing ahead of the upcoming summit with the leaders of the United States and South Korea. Unlike the inter-Korean summit, the historic US-North Korea meeting will be a major turning point but also fraught with risks.

If the conference fails, it will make the relationship between the two sides worse, not excluding the possibility that President Donald Trump will shift to a tougher approach, even a military attack.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju, (left) wave to President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan (right) before leaving Beijing. Photo: Xinhua.

A stable relationship with China would help prevent US actions that could spiral out of control with dire consequences.

Although Pyongyang is keen to reduce its dependence on Beijing, Kim Jong-un needs China's support if he aims to sign a permanent peace treaty to replace the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953.

On the other hand, North Korea may also want to assert that agreeing to dialogue with South Korea and the United States is a sign that North Korea has changed its policy. And so China, as its largest economic partner, needs to lift sanctions against Pyongyang.

To some extent, the North Korean leader’s visit to Beijing can be understood as simply a “symbol of courtesy” to China. Despite many rifts, China has been the only close ally of North Korea since the Korean War (1950-1953).

In order of importance and level of relationship, North Korea needs to meet with the Chinese leader, before meeting with the leaders of South Korea and the United States - two countries that Pyongyang once considered enemies.

An “equal player”?

Looking at North Korea's recent diplomatic developments as a whole, it seems that leader Kim Jong-un wants to present himself as an "equal player" on the world political stage, rather than a dependent party.

The strategy of “charm diplomacy”, as the West calls it, seems to be being used to its fullest by North Korea. First it was South Korea, then the US and now China.

In all steps, from planning talks with South Korea to agreeing to dialogue with the US and possibly Japan, North Korea has “ignored” China’s role. Only when the meetings were about to be arranged did the North Korean leader go to Beijing, in a move that was meant to be an “announcement”.

“The issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved if South Korea and the United States show goodwill toward our efforts, create an atmosphere of peace and stability, and take synchronous and progressive measures to build peace.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During his meeting with the Chinese President, Kim Jong-un repeatedly demonstrated his independent role. He affirmed that choosing China as the first destination of his overseas trip was due to Pyongyang’s goodwill to “foster the traditional friendship between the two countries.”

The North Korean leader also asserted that they themselves had taken the initiative to ease tensions and pushed for proposals for peace talks that would make the situation in the region better.

North Korea’s foreign policy has clearly changed dramatically in ways that were previously unseen. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is using his newfound leverage to reshape relations with both rivals and allies to his advantage.

In other words, Kim Jong-un's visit to China means that North Korea is seriously reshaping its relations and position in the international community.