China and North Korea reaffirmed their long-standing relationship on Sunday, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Both China’s President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation, according to North Korea’s state news agency KCNA.
President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of China-DPRK ties, pledging to enhance communication and collaboration to “write a new chapter” in their relationship. The two countries have deep historical ties, with China being North Korea’s most significant trading partner and supporter, dating back to China’s involvement in the Korean War (1950-1953), which resulted in the division of the Korean Peninsula.
However, China has expressed some reservation in recent months as Kim Jong Un has moved to deepen ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. North Korea and Russia signed a strategic treaty this year that includes mutual defense elements, a development that has caught the attention of Beijing.
In his message to Xi, Kim pledged to continue advancing friendly and cooperative relations with China, stating it was necessary to do so in line with “the requirements of the new era.”
Meanwhile, tensions on the Korean Peninsula could rise further as North Korea prepares to revise its constitution. The amendment is expected to remove the long-standing goal of peaceful unification with South Korea, potentially escalating hostilities between the two Koreas. North Korea is scheduled to convene a parliamentary session on Monday to discuss the changes.
Experts suggest that these amendments could redefine the inter-Korean border and signal a shift in North Korea’s approach toward South Korea, possibly advocating unification by force. This comes in the wake of Kim Jong Un’s earlier statements calling for preparations to “occupy, subjugate, and reclaim” South Korea in the event of war.
The redefinition of inter-Korean territory could act as a “new flashpoint” between the two Koreas, according to Lim Eul-chul, a professor of North Korea studies at Kyungnam University in South Korea. He also raised concerns that North Korea might suggest using nuclear weapons in its pursuit of unification.
On Friday, Kim warned that North Korea would not hesitate to use all available offensive forces, including nuclear weapons, to protect its sovereignty from external threats.