North Korea deepens strategic partnership with China after historic summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping marking the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. In the message, Kim described the recent two‑day summit in Pyongyang as a “historic occasion” and pledged to continue strengthening DPRK‑China relations, calling the partnership the “most powerful and strategic” and a “common wealth of the peoples of the two countries.”

The leaders also adopted a “far‑reaching blueprint” for cooperation, pledging tighter diplomatic, law‑enforcement and military coordination. China remains North Korea’s largest economic partner, accounting for about 98 % of its foreign trade in 2024. While Pyongyang has moved closer to Russia with a defence pact and troop deployments to the Ukraine war, Kim’s message underscores a deliberate effort to balance ties with both neighbours and to secure Beijing’s support for the regime.

Analysts say the messaging seeks to institutionalise the bilateral relationship and present the summit as a new milestone in the socialist alliance, aiming to bolster North Korea’s strategic options amid a shifting regional security landscape.