https://www.scmp.com/rss/519873/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Gabriela Bernal Gabriela Bernal Having invested significant diplomatic capital into ties with Russia in recent years, North Korea now seems to be pivoting back to China. Leader Kim Jong-un said his country places “the greatest value” on improving ties with Beijing. This shift came during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to North Korea last week, where he met Kim and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. Notably, Wang’s visit marked his first to North Korea since 2019. In the intervening years of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349984/why-north-korea-rekindling-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349984/why-north-korea-rekindling-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:30:12 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said on Friday that relations with Beijing had been elevated to new heights. He was speaking at a meeting in Pyongyang with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where both sides pledged to deepen strategic coordination and “practical cooperation”. Wang’s two-day visit to North Korea is his first since 2019. At the meeting he conveyed greetings from President Xi Jinping, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua. Wang also said the meeting at the Workers’ Party of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349693/china-north-korea-thaw-gathers-pace-kim-jong-un-says-ties-have-reached-new-level?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349693/china-north-korea-thaw-gathers-pace-kim-jong-un-says-ties-have-reached-new-level?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:19:43 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to North Korea on Thursday for a two-day visit, according to the foreign ministry in Beijing. The visit, at the invitation of the North Korean foreign ministry, will be Wang’s first trip to North Korea since early September 2019, when he travelled to Pyongyang for three days. Earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un cemented his leadership at the latest congress of the country’s ruling party. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349369/chinese-top-envoy-wang-yi-set-north-korea-trip-first-pyongyang-visit-2019?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349369/chinese-top-envoy-wang-yi-set-north-korea-trip-first-pyongyang-visit-2019?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:18:53 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s flagship airline resumed direct flight services to Pyongyang on Monday, a symbolic and logistical development that marks warming bilateral ties and comes just weeks after passenger train services were restored for the first time in six years. The Air China flight arrived at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport on Monday morning. China’s ambassador to North Korea, Wang Yajun, and other embassy diplomats welcomed passengers at the airport, according to Chinese state news agency... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348370/china-steps-north-korea-connections-regular-beijing-pyongyang-flights-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348370/china-steps-north-korea-connections-regular-beijing-pyongyang-flights-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:09:20 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The House Select Committee on China released a report on Friday asserting that China is manipulating its position at the United Nations to “undermine America’s interests and advance its international ambitions”. The 34-page report makes the case that China uses budget contributions, appointments to key UN executive positions and strategically deployed troops to expand its reach. The committee did not detail how these activities differed from how most countries operate at the UN, or the influence... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347399/us-claims-china-manipulating-its-position-un-undermine-americas-interests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347399/us-claims-china-manipulating-its-position-un-undermine-americas-interests?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 23:17:06 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China’s national flag carrier is set to run direct passenger flights to North Korea for the first time in six years later this month, the latest sign of warming ties between the two neighbours. The official app of Air China, one of the country’s largest state-owned airlines, shows bookings have opened for direct flights between Beijing and Pyongyang starting on March 30. The service appears to be weekly for now, with bookings available only on Mondays. Based on current listings, initial economy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346590/air-china-resume-north-korea-flights-after-6-years-amid-warming-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346590/air-china-resume-north-korea-flights-after-6-years-amid-warming-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 11:00:54 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Zhao Tong is a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Programme at Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and its East Asia-based research centre on contemporary China, Carnegie China. His research focuses on strategic security issues, including nuclear weapons policy, deterrence, arms control, non-proliferation, missile defence, hypersonic weapons, regional security in the Asia-Pacific and China’s security and foreign policy. SCMP Plus readers get early access... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:39:17 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Mainland Chinese citizens feel more favourable towards Taiwan than they did six months ago, support a hardline stance towards the US if another trade war erupts and view Russia and North Korea most positively and Japan least positively among their neighbours, according to a new survey by the Carter Centre and Emory University. One finding that comes through loud and clear, its authors said, is that mainlanders believe they have arrived and their country now belongs in a grouping limited to China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346151/mainland-chinese-see-taiwan-positively-wont-retreat-us-trade-war-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346151/mainland-chinese-see-taiwan-positively-wont-retreat-us-trade-war-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:50:18 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China will resume passenger train services to North Korea for the first time in six years – the latest sign of warming ties between the two countries as Pyongyang grapples with increasing tensions with the South and Donald Trump’s unpredictability. From Thursday, passenger trains between Beijing and Pyongyang will run four times a week – on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, China Railway Group (CREC) said on social media Tuesday night. The train will depart from Beijing at around 5.30pm... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346128/china-north-korea-rail-services-restored-neighbours-try-get-relations-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346128/china-north-korea-rail-services-restored-neighbours-try-get-relations-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:00:12 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Washington’s decapitation operation in Iran would push Pyongyang to feel “vindicated” in developing nuclear weapons for its own security and move closer to China and Russia to bolster its deterrence capabilities, according to analysts. On Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the test firing of what the country’s state media called a “strategic cruise missile” from the new 5,000-tonne naval destroyer Choe Hyon before the vessel’s official commissioning. Kim hailed the warship as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345806/will-us-attack-iran-push-north-korea-even-closer-russia-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345806/will-us-attack-iran-push-north-korea-even-closer-russia-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after he cemented his leadership at the latest congress of the country’s ruling party. Xi said Kim’s reselection as general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Monday reflected the “high trust and wholehearted support” of the country’s “party, government and people”, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Xi said he was ready to work with Kim to “open a new chapter in China-DPRK [Democratic People’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344350/xi-jinping-expresses-hope-china-can-open-new-chapter-relations-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344350/xi-jinping-expresses-hope-china-can-open-new-chapter-relations-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:57:45 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China has joined Russia in congratulating North Korea on the conclave of its ruling party, hailing economic achievements under the leadership of Kim Jong-un and pledging to work with Pyongyang to promote regional peace. According to state news agency Xinhua, the Central Committee of China’s Communist Party sent a congratulatory message to Pyongyang on Thursday, asserting that the ruling Workers’ Party had in recent years helped to develop the North Korean economy and improve the lives of its... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344118/china-applauds-north-korea-party-conclave-new-historical-period-ties-xinhua?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344118/china-applauds-north-korea-party-conclave-new-historical-period-ties-xinhua?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:00:17 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Combine three wary nations, deep historical mistrust, rapid technological change, the most destructive weapons ever developed and a US unwilling to extend Thursday’s last formal nuclear weapons guardrail, and you have the ingredients for much worse geopolitical tension, if not a slide towards global disaster, warn nuclear weapons negotiators, analysts and former government officials. While Moscow has offered to formally extend its New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start) with the US for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:02:50 +0000 Chan Young Bang Chan Young Bang The Ukraine war and Donald Trump’s return to the White House have significantly altered northeast Asia’s geopolitical landscape. North Korea’s defence treaty with Russia and leader Kim Jong-un’s decision to deploy troops to support Moscow have shattered any remaining illusions of strategic restraint. While Russia is believed to be supplying North Korea with finance and technology, Japan and South Korea are accelerating military spending and preparing for long-term confrontation, potentially –... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339398/why-timing-may-be-right-china-press-north-korea-denuclearisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339398/why-timing-may-be-right-china-press-north-korea-denuclearisation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi The United States’ decapitation operation against Venezuela will reinforce North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, an aspiration that will continue to draw China’s “tacit tolerance”, according to analysts. After the US military abducted Nicolas Maduro during an attack on Venezuela on Saturday, Pyongyang criticised Washington’s actions as “wildly” violating the sovereignty of Caracas. It was one of a slew of countries that issued swift criticism of the US move. In a statement on Sunday, the North Korean... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339129/kim-jong-un-expected-cling-nuclear-security-blanket-after-venezuela-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339129/kim-jong-un-expected-cling-nuclear-security-blanket-after-venezuela-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi As the new year unfolds, China finds itself grappling with strategic pressures fuelled by two US treaty allies at its doorstep – Japan and South Korea. In the second of a two-part series, Seong Hyeon Choi looks at how competing pressures in the Korean peninsula may complicate China’s security calculus. Read the first part here. In 2025, there was a major shift in China’s security environment relating to the Korean peninsula, as the North grew more open in its push for nuclear weapons and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338853/korean-peninsula-arms-race-heating-how-will-china-react-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338853/korean-peninsula-arms-race-heating-how-will-china-react-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei,Oliver Balch Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei,Oliver Balch Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “patience” over North Korea’s nuclear programme, the South’s president, Lee Jae Myung, said on Wednesday. Speaking during a visit to Shanghai, Lee said he had asked Xi to act as a “mediator for peace” on the Korean peninsula, including on the nuclear issue. He said all channels between the North and South had been blocked and there was “zero trust” between the two sides. “President Xi noted the efforts until now and said patience is needed,” Lee said. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339046/chinese-president-xi-jinping-urges-seoul-be-patient-over-north-korean-nuclear-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339046/chinese-president-xi-jinping-urges-seoul-be-patient-over-north-korean-nuclear-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:01:11 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea will seek Beijing’s support on denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and press to lift an unofficial cultural content ban when he travels to China for a state visit next week, according to Seoul. Lee’s four-day trip from Sunday will make him the first sitting South Korean president to visit China since 2019. Lee will first travel to Beijing, where he is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday afternoon, their second summit in two months. They... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338558/china-state-visit-south-koreas-lee-will-push-denuclearisation-end-culture-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338558/china-state-visit-south-koreas-lee-will-push-denuclearisation-end-culture-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 12:37:47 +0000 Hannan Hussain Hannan Hussain Seoul has been putting its weight behind lowering the temperature on stalled US-North Korea denuclearisation talks. The issue remains fraught with tension: Washington has grown increasingly sceptical of the prospect of Pyongyang’s complete denuclearisation and attempts to engage North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have met with limited success. For Pyongyang, any discussion of its nuclear programme appears to be a red line. Kim has brooked no compromise on the issue, which is domestically important... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3336536/seoul-holds-key-us-north-korea-denuclearisation-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3336536/seoul-holds-key-us-north-korea-denuclearisation-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China’s omission of the term “denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula” from a new policy paper suggests its “tacit acceptance” of North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, as Beijing gives priority to its strategic rivalry with Washington, according to analysts. Late last month, China released a white paper on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, outlining its national defence and nuclear policies. The document was an update of a 2005 white paper and contained a notable shift – within... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335406/china-shifting-its-policy-and-accepting-north-korea-nuclear-armed-state?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335406/china-shifting-its-policy-and-accepting-north-korea-nuclear-armed-state?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 04:00:14 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Zhou Bo is a retired senior colonel in the People’s Liberation Army and a senior fellow at Tsinghua University’s Centre for International Security and Strategy. His military career included roles in the Ministry of National Defence’s Foreign Affairs Office and as a defence attaché. Zhou is the author of the recent book Should the World Fear China? SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. This article will be available to regular SCMP subscribers next... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3334347/ex-pla-colonel-taiwan-question-ukraine-war-china-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3334347/ex-pla-colonel-taiwan-question-ukraine-war-china-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 02:00:13 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korea is expected to remain largely impervious to Western diplomatic overtures for the foreseeable future as it rails against its rivals’ “hostile” policies. On Tuesday, North Korean state media denounced last month’s summit between US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung as proof of the “confrontational will” of its adversaries to “remain hostile … to the end”. The North was taken aback by the outcomes of the Trump-Lee summit, according to Professor Cho Han-bum... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333349/trump-took-pyongyang-surprise-nuclear-subs-south-korea-sinking-talk-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333349/trump-took-pyongyang-surprise-nuclear-subs-south-korea-sinking-talk-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 04:27:47 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United States will in the coming days ask a UN Security Council committee to impose sanctions on seven ships suspected of violating UN sanctions on North Korea, a State Department official said on Monday. The seven vessels have illegally exported North Korean coal and iron ore to China, which traditionally earns Pyongyang between US$200 million and US$400 million a year, said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “These nominations are not just bureaucratic exercises. They’re... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3331395/us-calls-un-sanctions-7-vessels-over-north-korea-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3331395/us-calls-un-sanctions-7-vessels-over-north-korea-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:48:12 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korea pre-emptively slammed any discussion of its denuclearisation as a “pipe dream” just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to meet South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. Analysts suggest Pyongyang’s blunt intervention was aimed at deterring both Seoul and Beijing from prioritising the explosive topic. This intervention was also seen as a show of “displeasure” that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331145/north-korean-denuclearisation-pipe-dream-pyongyang-warns-ahead-seoul-beijing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331145/north-korean-denuclearisation-pipe-dream-pyongyang-warns-ahead-seoul-beijing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 02:17:45 +0000 Hao Nan Hao Nan The Korean peninsula has snapped back into global focus. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea is expected to bring the leaders of the US and China together for their first in-person meeting since US President Donald Trump’s second term began. Meanwhile, Russia-allied North Korea seeks US recognition of its status as a nuclear state and direct talks with Trump. This points to a structural shift in Northeast Asia’s security architecture. Rather than a simple US-China binary... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3330372/triple-trilateralism-korean-peninsula-force-peace-or-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3330372/triple-trilateralism-korean-peninsula-force-peace-or-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 12:30:15 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi North Korea’s recent military parade, which featured an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the continental United States, suggested that China had “tacitly accepted” Pyongyang as a nuclear state, analysts said. The October 10 parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea was attended by Li Qiang – the first Chinese premier to visit the country in 16 years. It featured several advanced weapons systems, including tanks, artillery and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329525/north-korea-pushing-china-more-openly-accept-its-status-nuclear-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329525/north-korea-pushing-china-more-openly-accept-its-status-nuclear-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Beijing is ready to deepen collaboration with Pyongyang to advance a “more just and equitable” international order, visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as the two countries spotlighted their “unwavering” ties. It remained China’s “unwavering” policy to maintain, consolidate and develop the traditional friendship and cooperation with North Korea, Li said during the meeting on Thursday, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Li – China’s No 2 official and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328471/china-north-korea-pledge-dynamic-development-li-qiang-kim-jong-un-meet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328471/china-north-korea-pledge-dynamic-development-li-qiang-kim-jong-un-meet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 05:00:09 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Chinese Premier Li Qiang promised closer cooperation with North Korea as he began a three-day visit to the country on Thursday following a recent flurry of diplomatic exchanges that signalled a thaw in relations. Li is the most senior Chinese official to visit the country since 2019. During his visit he will attend a series of events to celebrate the 80th anniversary of North Korea’s ruling party. Li said Beijing was ready to work with Pyongyang to “strengthen strategic communication, maintain... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328380/chinese-premier-li-qiang-begins-north-korea-trip-friendly-cooperation-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328380/chinese-premier-li-qiang-begins-north-korea-trip-friendly-cooperation-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Wenran Jiang Wenran Jiang The ruling party of North Korea is approaching its 80th official anniversary amid an unprecedented rise in the country’s international stature. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s presence alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at China’s Victory Day parade early last month was more than ceremonial; it was a strategic declaration. Kim carried himself with the assurance of a man who has successfully recalibrated his nation’s place in the world. This confidence,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3328231/can-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-forge-legacy-goes-beyond-bomb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3328231/can-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-forge-legacy-goes-beyond-bomb?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Zhao Ziwen,Meredith Chen Zhao Ziwen,Meredith Chen Premier Li Qiang will travel to Pyongyang to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of North Korea’s ruling party later this week, according to Beijing, making him the most senior Chinese official to visit the country since 2019. The Chinese foreign ministry said Li would arrive in Pyongyang for a three-day visit on Thursday. A military parade commemorating the foundation of the Workers’ Party of Korea is expected to be held on Friday, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. Calling the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328070/chinese-premier-li-qiang-travel-north-korea-ruling-partys-80th-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328070/chinese-premier-li-qiang-travel-north-korea-ruling-partys-80th-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:16:09 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen The North Korean and Chinese foreign ministers pledged to strengthen ties and deepen alignment against unilateralism and hegemonism – in a potential veiled swipe at the United States – at their second meeting in Beijing within a month. Sunday’s talks between North Korea’s Choe Son-hui and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi were held against the backdrop of a possible China-US leadership meeting in the coming weeks, and close behind China’s Victory Day parade on September 3. “Pyongyang is willing to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327204/china-north-korea-fms-signal-firm-ties-and-united-stance-against-unilateralism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327204/china-north-korea-fms-signal-firm-ties-and-united-stance-against-unilateralism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:01:37 +0000 Lee Min-Yong Lee Min-Yong The Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting is just over a month away. Hosted in the ancient Korean capital of Gyeongju, the summit will bring together leaders from the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. With both the US and Chinese presidents expected to attend, the gathering is poised to serve as a significant diplomatic stage against the backdrop of mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula and growing uncertainty in global affairs. After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326567/apec-offers-stage-china-us-and-two-koreas-make-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326567/apec-offers-stage-china-us-and-two-koreas-make-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui will begin a four-day visit to China on Saturday, days after South Korea urged China to help broker inter-Korean talks. Choe would meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, state news agency Xinhua and Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday. Her trip closely follows leader Kim Jong-un’s appearance at China’s Victory Day parade on September 3 and his meeting with President Xi Jinping this month – his first since 2019. Choe... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3326867/days-after-seoul-seeks-chinas-help-pyongyang-north-korean-envoy-will-visit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3326867/days-after-seoul-seeks-chinas-help-pyongyang-north-korean-envoy-will-visit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 10:42:59 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi In a break from past practice, the United States did not send an aircraft carrier to its military drill with treaty allies Japan and South Korea last week. Some analysts said this suggested that the US was playing down the exercise to boost its dealings with China and North Korea. Others highlighted the Trump administration’s insistence on greater contributions from Asian allies in its strategy to contain China within the strategically crucial first island chain. The trilateral multi-domain... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326285/us-held-major-military-drill-minus-aircraft-carrier-what-does-it-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326285/us-held-major-military-drill-minus-aircraft-carrier-what-does-it-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan China’s recent high-profile diplomatic activity, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and the Victory Day parade in Beijing in the same week, conveyed more than international headlines suggested. Although much of the media spotlight focused on the optics of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, I think the real story centres on pragmatic engagement, regional reassurance and the realignment of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325907/focusing-pageantry-west-misses-point-chinas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325907/focusing-pageantry-west-misses-point-chinas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao As Washington continues to retreat from its traditional leadership role in the post-war international order, particularly under the “America first” doctrine, Beijing has stepped in with a calculated response to the widening vacuum in global governance, unveiling what observers call a “master plan” for reform. China’s newly unveiled Global Governance Initiative (GGI), launched this month to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, represents its most comprehensive and structured... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325746/us-retreats-can-xi-jinpings-new-initiative-shape-future-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325746/us-retreats-can-xi-jinpings-new-initiative-shape-future-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:00:16 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi China’s Victory Day military parade presents a fascinating paradox. With over 12,000 troops reportedly marching through Tiananmen Square, this spectacle celebrates a defensive military doctrine while showcasing power-projection capabilities that would make any expeditionary force envious. It reveals how Beijing is pioneering a new grammar of military power that particularly resonates with the Global South. The parade’s most consequential audience may not be Washington but middle powers from... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325349/chinas-victory-day-parade-was-message-global-south?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325349/chinas-victory-day-parade-was-message-global-south?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 22:30:13 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi When North Korea unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development a day before its leader visited China last week, it was sending a message to Beijing and Washington that it would not renounce its nuclear weapons, according to analysts. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un travelled to attend China’s military parade in Beijing and hold bilateral summits with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The trio stood side by side, looking out... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325159/did-kim-use-attending-chinas-parade-chance-send-his-own-missile-message?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325159/did-kim-use-attending-chinas-parade-chance-send-his-own-missile-message?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 08:27:55 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed a pledge to strengthen strategic coordination with North Korea in a congratulatory message to leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday. The greetings marked the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the official name of the country. The message was delivered only days after a historic trip by Kim to Beijing, when the North Korean leader – for the first time – stood together with Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324876/chinas-xi-jinping-reaffirms-pledge-closer-north-korea-ties-after-historic-kim-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324876/chinas-xi-jinping-reaffirms-pledge-closer-north-korea-ties-after-historic-kim-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 11:00:09 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao From a rare multilateral debut at Tiananmen Square to a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, followed by an exclusive banquet, Beijing’s privileged treatment of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was a calculated display of solidarity between the two communist neighbours, analysts said. In a subtle yet seismic shift, Beijing notably avoided any mention of “denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula” during what was Kim’s first visit to China in over six years. Instead, Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324552/how-xi-kim-talks-marked-chinas-full-throated-endorsement-north-korea-world-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324552/how-xi-kim-talks-marked-chinas-full-throated-endorsement-north-korea-world-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Sep 2025 10:00:12 +0000 Dewey Sim,Fan Chen Dewey Sim,Fan Chen Beijing and Pyongyang should deepen strategic coordination in regional and international affairs to safeguard “mutual interests”, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday in his first sit-down with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in six years. “The Chinese Communist Party and government attach great importance to the traditional friendship between China and North Korea and are willing to maintain, consolidate and develop China-North Korea relations,” he said, according to state news agency... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324359/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-holds-talks-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324359/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-holds-talks-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:06:30 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma North Korea’s Kim Jong-un was set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, following earlier talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, underscoring how the once-marginalised leader has regained favour with his two powerful neighbours. Xi and Kim planned to discuss issues of common interest, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday, without elaboration. A day earlier, Kim and Putin sat alongside Xi at a huge military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Kim met... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3324328/kim-steps-out-global-shadows-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3324328/kim-steps-out-global-shadows-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:00:44 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Images and messages from the Victory Day parade in Beijing will long resonate as a reflection of the country’s will and military readiness to safeguard national security from threats to world peace. The strength and solidarity of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were on show at home and abroad. Thousands, including dignitaries from around the world, watched the parade of PLA soldiers and new military hardware roll by as helicopters and advanced warplanes roared overhead. The abiding message of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3324229/victory-day-parade-showcased-chinas-determination-be-force-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3324229/victory-day-parade-showcased-chinas-determination-be-force-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 23:15:13 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Brilliant. Pivotal. Very well held. That is how some countries described the massive military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital on Wednesday. But these countries are either some of China’s closest neighbours or part of the developing world – a group that Beijing has long sought to influence. Elsewhere, particularly in the West, the reaction was more critical. The parade had a dual effect – it marked 80 years since the end of World War II and showcased China’s growing military might and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324194/reviews-are-chinas-allies-give-top-marks-parade-west-not-won-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324194/reviews-are-chinas-allies-give-top-marks-parade-west-not-won-over?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:00:07 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in China by train on Tuesday, leading a delegation that included his foreign minister and his daughter. Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported Kim’s arrival in a brief report. An accompanying photo captured a smiling Kim getting off the train, while honour guards stood by the door. He was greeted by Cai Qi, China’s fifth-ranking official, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. Accompanying the North Korean... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324093/who-are-north-korean-officials-joining-kim-jong-uns-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324093/who-are-north-korean-officials-joining-kim-jong-uns-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 13:35:40 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Laura Zhou Shi Jiangtao,Laura Zhou North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s coming visit to China – his first in over six years – for a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II could reinvigorate Beijing-Pyongyang ties and signal a broader strategic realignment, according to observers. For the first time, Kim will appear alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on September 3, in what analysts said would be a rare show of unity and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323681/why-kim-jong-uns-military-parade-presence-could-signal-china-north-korea-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323681/why-kim-jong-uns-military-parade-presence-could-signal-china-north-korea-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:00:12 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will travel to China to attend next week’s military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Beijing said on Thursday. It will be the reclusive leader’s first visit to China for more than six years. He will join Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin – key allies of isolated North Korea – at the event on September 3. They will be among an expected 26 world leaders at the parade, which will see thousands of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323418/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-will-attend-military-parade-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323418/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-will-attend-military-parade-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 02:15:25 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The US has sentenced a Chinese national to eight years in prison for illegally exporting firearms, ammunition, and other military items to North Korea via Hong Kong in return for US$2 million in payments from Pyongyang “for his efforts”, the Justice Department said on Tuesday. Taking advantage of lax US gun laws, Shenghua Wen, 42, purchased many of the weapons in Texas and drove them to California, where they were shipped out of the Port of Long Beach, according to court documents. At least one... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3322431/us-sentences-chinese-national-eight-years-smuggling-arms-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3322431/us-sentences-chinese-national-eight-years-smuggling-arms-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 21:24:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The US has slapped sanctions on individuals and companies linked to a scheme that involves recruiting North Koreans to pose as American tech workers and help fund Kim Jong-un’s regime. The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed penalties on a “malicious cyber actor” named Song Kum-hyok, who is accused of having ties with a hacking group linked to Pyongyang, as well as another individual and four companies based in Russia and North Korea. Song allegedly facilitated an... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317461/us-targets-north-korean-fake-it-worker-scheme-china-and-russia-links?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317461/us-targets-north-korean-fake-it-worker-scheme-china-and-russia-links?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:54:34 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow China and North Korea often hail their friendships with each other and with Russia as being “forged in blood”. But while these statements help generate fraternal sentiments, such ties often fall prey to domestic politics, geopolitics and evolving national interests. This week, North Korea’s state media showed its leader Kim Jong-un draping coffins with the national flag in what appeared to be the repatriation of soldiers killed fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine. In a series of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3316764/north-korea-china-and-russias-blood-forged-ties-real-or-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3316764/north-korea-china-and-russias-blood-forged-ties-real-or-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 02:30:09 +0000