In the meeting held on Friday, Kim stated that his government will wholly back Chinese initiatives to maintain territorial integrity in line with its “one-China principle,” referring to Beijing’s official stance that Taiwan is a non-negotiable part of China’s territory, according to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency.
Kim also presented North Korea’s stance on unspecified regional and global matters of “mutual concern,” asserting that the ongoing development of relations between the two nations has become increasingly important in the current geopolitical landscape, as reported by KCNA.
Wang, during his two-day visit to North Korea, mentioned that the relationship between the countries was entering a “new phase” following the previous year’s summit between Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
By adopting notions of a “new Cold War” and a “multipolarized world,” Kim has aimed to escape international isolation and adopt a more assertive foreign policy by strengthening ties with governments that are in conflict with the United States.
Although Russia has taken precedence in Kim’s recent foreign policy, with thousands of troops and significant weapons supplies sent to support its conflict in Ukraine, he has also been strengthening relations with China, the North’s traditional primary ally and economic support.
In September, Kim attended a World War II ceremony in Beijing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and held his first summit with Xi Jinping in six years, actions that bolstered his efforts to position North Korea as part of a united front against Washington.
Last month, North Korea and China resumed direct flight and train services for passengers, which had been halted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Wang arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday for his first visit to North Korea in seven years. He previously met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and exchanges, as well as to engage in “in-depth” discussions on international matters, according to state media from both nations.
The state media did not indicate whether Wang and North Korean officials addressed topics concerning the U.S. or the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Wang’s visit to North Korea took place ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s upcoming trip to Beijing for a rescheduled summit with Xi Jinping in May. Some officials in South Korea have expressed hope that the Trump-Xi meeting might open up diplomatic avenues with Pyongyang.
Since the collapse of his negotiations with Trump in 2019 during the American president’s first term, Kim has halted all significant dialogue with the U.S. and South Korea. He has adopted a tough stance towards South Korea, which he now regards as his “most hostile” adversary, and has turned down U.S. proposals to resume discussions, insisting that Washington eliminate its demand for North Korea’s denuclearization as a precondition.
