Xi’s Message to Kim Signals Beijing Isn’t Ready to Loosen Ties With North Korea
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to advance “long-term, sound and stable” relations with North Korea in a message to leader Kim Jong Un, North Korean state media reported on July 5.
The deal is ahead of the anniversary of the two nations’ mutual defense pact, while the U.S. is beefing up security cooperation with South Korea and Japan and Pyongyang is seeking closer ties with Russia.
The message provides new signals on Beijing’s geopolitical priorities in the backdrop of ongoing changes in the security sphere of Northeast Asia. China is trying to reaffirm its longstanding alliance with North Korea amid regional competition between China and the U.S., its allies and Russia, analysts say.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Kim as sending his congratulatory message to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on July 1. Xi thanked Kim for his message, and dubbed the Workers’ Party of Korea and the CCP “Marxist ruling parties.
“I am ready to lead the China-DPRK relations to a long-term, sound and stable development and thus promote the stable and long-term development of the socialist cause of the two countries,” Xi said, according to KCNA. DPRK is the official name of North Korea.
June Summit Reinforced Bilateral Ties
The latest message follows Xi’s two-day state visit to Pyongyang on June 8 and 9, his first trip to North Korea since 2019 and his first overseas visit of 2026.
According to KCNA, Xi said during the visit that bilateral relations had reached “a new historical starting point.” Kim described Xi as “the greatest state guest” and called the visit “the most encouraging support” for North Korea.
In his July 1 message, Kim described the summit as a “historic occasion” that strengthened friendship and mutual trust between the two countries.
Following their previous meeting in September 2025, language analysts don’t mention that a consensus of views was reached during the latest meeting, though the North Korean official readout notes that the leaders achieved “a satisfactory consensus of views,” indicating greater political cooperation.
Treaty Anniversary Comes Amid Regional Security Shifts
On July 11th, China and North Korea will be celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Sino-North Korean Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. From the Chinese side, the agreement signed in 1961 remains the only mutual defense agreement.
The anniversary comes as Washington continues to deepen security coordination with Seoul and Tokyo. On July 8, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara.
According to the U.S. State Department, the three officials reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and pledged continued trilateral security cooperation.
Analysts at the Stimson Center’s 38 North program say Beijing does not appear concerned that Russia could displace China as North Korea’s principal strategic partner. They argue Russia cannot match China’s role as Pyongyang’s largest economic partner or Beijing’s ability to provide sustained political support.
The analysts also believe Xi’s visit to Pyongyang is part of Beijing’s strategy to assert itself as a world-class diplomatic force amid growing geopolitical rivalry. The trip was preceded by two sessions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing.
Denuclearization Absent From Summit Agenda
In the official press release of the June summit, China did not mention North Korea’s nuclear program, a key omission which analysts said showed the current focus of bilateral relations. The summit also coincided with the gradual resumption of cross-border flights and cargo traffic between the two countries.
According to North Korean state media, Kim inspected a munitions factory and received a briefing on missile production capacity the day before Xi arrived in Pyongyang.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also acknowledged the region’s changing security environment during a June 8 news conference.
“Russia and North Korea have developed increasingly close ties and the divide between North and South Korea continues to widen,” Lee said. “But we must continue to pursue dialogue.”
The message from Xi, along with the upcoming anniversary of the treaty, reflects Beijing’s ongoing bid to keep Pyongyang in its good graces as security rivalry in the region grows. Analysts will be watching whether the diplomatic messaging is followed by deeper political, economic or security cooperation between the two countries in the coming months.
