Xi sends reply to Kim, omitting the phrase ‘friendly neighboring country’

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a reply 15 days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un congratulated him on the 75th anniversary of China's National Day (Founding Day). In the letter, Xi said that China is willing to make greater contributions to safeguarding peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the region and the world. While expressions such as "brotherly Korea" remain similar to last year's message, phrases like "friendly neighboring country" were omitted. This omission has been interpreted as a reflection of China's discomfort with the increasingly close relationship between North Korea and Russia, which has reached a level of military cooperation, including the possibility of North Korean troop deployments to Russia.

According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday, Xi said in his reply to Kim on Wednesday that he would work together with Kim to ensure the continuous and stable development of the traditional North Korea-China friendship and cooperation. Xi emphasized that "the two countries are connected by mountains and rivers, and the traditional friendship between them grows stronger over time." He also expressed his sincere wishes for the "brotherly Korean people, under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea led by Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un, to achieve new successes in the socialist construction endeavor."

This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between North Korea and China, but the level of exchanges and friendship between the two countries has been unusually subdued. Tensions between the two nations continue, particularly over the issue of the return of North Korean workers sent to China.


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com