China kicks off its 'Friendship Year' with North Korea | What is it all about?

China has kicked off a “friendship year” with North Korea to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations with the country. The beginning of the friendship year was marked by the highest-level Chinese visit to North Korea in nearly five years, highlighting the importance both nations place on their partnership.

Zhao Leji, understood to be China’s third-highest ranked official, is leading a delegation on a “goodwill visit” to North Korea, at the invitation of Pyongyang. This three-day visit underscores the “great importance” China attaches to its relations with North Korea, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced. Meanwhile, North Korea’s state media agency, KCNA, has confirmed the visit, noting the significance of the event, CNN reported.

The geopolitical context

This diplomatic engagement occurs against a backdrop of increasing regional security concerns, particularly with the United States enhancing its security ties with Japan and South Korea. These alliances are perceived by Beijing and Pyongyang as a strategic counter to their own regional influences.

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The delegation’s arrival also coincides with heightened global apprehensions concerning North Korea, which has escalated its aggressive rhetoric and continued its weapons tests in recent months. Additionally, North Korea has been forging closer connections with Moscow and has reportedly begun supplying arms for the conflict in Ukraine, according to US and allied reports.

These geopolitical dynamics are further highlighted by a week of intense Asia-focused diplomacy in Washington. US President Joe Biden is hosting a trilateral summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan, emphasising a unified approach to the challenges posed by China and North Korea.

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What the visit means for China

The visit provides a rare opportunity for a top Chinese official to engage directly with North Korea’s secretive government. Zhao, who leads China’s rubber-stamp national legislature and is a member of its powerful seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, is the highest-ranking visitor since Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit in 2019.

While the visit is unlikely to lead to immediate diplomatic breakthroughs, it represents a significant gesture by China to affirm its complex and deep-rooted ties with North Korea, CNN reported. It also serves to signal to the United States and other regional actors that China maintains substantial influence over Pyongyang.

Significance of the Friendship Year for North Korea

For North Korea, the visit and the announcement of the Friendship Year from China’s top officials not only strengthens its most crucial international alliance but also offers support against the perceived threats from ongoing US and South Korean military collaborations. This development could prove pivotal for North Korea as it navigates its international relations amidst increasing isolation and scrutiny.