Kim Jong Un backs China’s multipolar push, ties deepen
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- Kim Jong Un expressed support for China’s “multipolar world” agenda and urged deeper ties with Beijing during his meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
- Kim Jong Un pledged full backing for China’s “one‑China principle” on territorial integrity, reaffirming opposition to Taiwanese independence.
- Wang Yi said that North Korea–China relations were entering a “new phase” after last year’s summit between Kim and President Xi Jinping.
- North Korea and China resumed direct flight and passenger train services in March, restoring links halted since early 2020.
- Wang Yi visited Pyongyang for the first time in seven years, meeting with Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui to discuss cooperation and “in‑depth” talks on international issues.
- United States has been excluded from substantive dialogue by Kim Jong Un since 2019, with the North Korean leader rejecting U.S. denuclearization demands as a precondition for talks.
Why it matters: China gains a high‑profile ally reinforcing its multipolar narrative, while the United States loses a potential diplomatic opening as North Korea continues to sideline U.S. talks; the renewed transport links and “new phase” language suggest tighter economic and political coordination between Pyongyang and Beijing.

