North Korea seeks to strengthen its ties to China, even as it ignores US
- Pyongyang’s new ambassador to China delivers pledge by Kim Jong-un to develop a relationship with Beijing that will be ‘envied by the world’
- Exchange comes as White House says Pyongyang has not responded to overtures from new Biden administration
While Washington under the new US administration struggles to communicate with Pyongyang, an isolated North Korea has pledged to strengthen its ties with neighbouring China into a relationship “envied by the world”.
Ri Ryong-nam, North Korea’s new ambassador to China, conveyed that message from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when Ri met on Monday with Song Tao, director of the International Liaison Department (IDL), an agency under the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party known for its central role in policymaking towards North Korea.
North Korea was on the agenda of the first high-level US-China face-to-face meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, last week. According to White House press secretary Jennifer Psaki, US President Joe Biden’s administration has tried to communicate with North Korea since last month through various channels but Pyongyang has so far not responded.
Ri, however, wasted no time; his first diplomatic function with Song came just days after he officially took up his post as ambassador on Thursday. During their meeting in Beijing, Ri and Song exchanged messages from their respective country’s leaders.
In addition to Kim’s remarks, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the traditional friendship between China and North Korea was the “common treasure” of both peoples.
North Korea is China’s only treaty ally, a product of the Korean war 70 years ago when Chinese leader Mao Zedong intervened against the US-led defence of South Korea following an invasion from the North Korean army, led by Kim Jong-un’s grandfather, Kim Il-Sung.