N. Korean leader’s display of closeness with Xi Jinping signals return to old alliance

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrive for an official reception held at the Banquet Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Wednesday, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Yonhap-TASS

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s appearance at China’s victory ceremony in Beijing Wednesday signaled a thaw in relations between the two countries, which had grown strained in recent years.

Analysts say both nations now have strong incentives to strengthen ties amid shifting regional dynamics.

For years, the once-solid alliance between Pyongyang and Beijing had been quietly strained. Concerned over North Korea’s persistent pursuit of nuclear weapons, China supported United Nations sanctions, although it often implemented them selectively to balance enforcement with its broader economic and strategic interests. Meanwhile, the North Korean leader appeared to pull away from his nation’s traditional patron, fostering closer ties with Moscow.

During the globally televised event, Kim was seen leaning in and conversing at length with Chinese President Xi Jinping — a display of unusually close interaction compared to previous appearances. Observers noted that he stood closer to China’s leader than even his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, had during similar commemorations decades ago. After years of tilting toward Moscow, Kim’s posture now appeared to signal a normalization of ties with Beijing.

Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told The Korea Times that Kim’s positioning alongside Xi during the parade reflected “a recognition of North Korea’s strategic standing as a neighboring power in Northeast Asia.”

Hong added that the two countries are increasingly aligned by a shared interest in countering U.S. influence, making future diplomatic initiatives and even joint economic projects more likely.

“From China’s perspective, under the Biden administration it needed to act as a responsible global power within the G2 framework when facing the U.S.,” Hong said. “But under the Trump administration, Beijing sought to showcase its influence over Pyongyang as a signal to Washington, and it may once again use North Korea more actively in response to U.S. pressure, raising the likelihood of deeper diplomatic and economic cooperation.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping, center front row, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, along with other foreign leaders, walk to the Tiananmen Rostrum ahead of a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing, Wednesday. Yonhap-EPA/Xinhua

The expert emphasized that for Pyongyang, deepening ties with China is no longer optional but a strategic imperative, crucial for both economic survival and diplomatic leverage.

“From North Korea’s side, this could also be a message to Washington,” Hong stressed. “Being placed prominently next to Xi in such a high-profile event shows that Pyongyang is not an isolated state but part of a structure of alliance. It demonstrates a sense of solidarity, sending a deterrent signal to the U.S.”

Amid the warming atmosphere between the two leaders, speculation has emerged over the possibility of Xi visiting Pyongyang for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Oct. 10.

Hong also pointed out that Kim’s high-profile role in Beijing signaled “China’s tacit acceptance of North Korea’s advancing nuclear capabilities,” while at the same time helping Pyongyang ease its international isolation.

“Signs of rapprochement between North Korea and China had already appeared earlier this year, with cross-border exchanges returning to prepandemic levels and both governments displaying increasingly cordial responses toward one another,” the researcher added.