Kim Jong-un turns out to be the cleverest of them all
As others exert geopolitical influence based on economic or military might, North Korea’s leader has turned a weaker hand to his advantage
But with Kim, the stakes for Beijing were just as high, in light of Tokyo’s remilitarisation, Manila’s strengthened military cooperation with Washington, the South Korean-US alliance and Taiwan’s creep towards secessionism. They all point to a revitalised US-led containment strategy against China. Ostensibly the junior partner with Xi, Kim knew he was indispensable.
While all those strongmen dominate contemporary geopolitics because of their countries’ military or economic heft, Kim has turned a weaker hand to his advantage. During Xi’s visit, Kim called ties with China “the most important top priority”, reaffirming Beijing as his principal backer. Even so, he now has options with Moscow.
In return, Xi completely ignored nuclear disarmament during his visit. Some commentators have interpreted that as China tacitly endorsing North Korea’s status as a nuclear power. But it was more an unspoken gesture than a substantial policy change, and not really different from the West’s decades-long acceptance of Israel as a nuclear power, despite its so-called strategic ambiguity over possessing such weapons.
There is a big difference in outcome. A nuclear-armed Israel has enabled it to seek dominance and destabilise the Middle East. A nuclear-armed North Korea has been a stabilising factor in the Asia-Pacific, contrary to Western propaganda.