38 North: "DPRK-China Relations Do Not Appear Fully Restored"... Analysis of North Korean Reports on Summit

Unlike Past Kim-Xi Summits, Reports Lack 'Consensus' Language and Remain Vague

Coverage Shorter Than Putin Summit... "True Intentions" May Be Revealed in Letter for China's National Day

Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping at the DPRK-China Summit (Pyongyang, Korean Central News Agency = Yonhap News) The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 5th that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who visited China to attend the 80th anniversary military parade for the Victory Day, held a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the afternoon of the 4th. 2025.9.5

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nkphoto@yna.co.kr

An analysis of North Korean media reports on the recent summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping suggests that DPRK-China relations have not yet been fully restored, 38 North, a U.S.-based publication specializing in North Korean affairs, noted on the 8th (local time).

The outlet, published by the Henry L. Stimson Center, a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C., pointed out that the summit, which took place during Kim's fifth visit to China from the 1st to the 5th of this month to attend the 80th anniversary of China's Victory Day, served as "an opportunity for Kim to reaffirm his strong ties with Russia and rebuild relations with China, which have been strained over the past two years."

However, it analyzed that "while coverage of the Kim-Xi summit included some positive expressions, it fell short of the tone seen in past summits, suggesting that North Korea and China have not yet fully mended their relationship."

In contrast, the outlet assessed that North Korean media coverage of the summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin "demonstrates that the relationship between North Korea and Russia remains strong and long-term oriented."

38 North evaluated that North Korean media covered the Kim-Xi summit more briefly than the Kim-Putin summit and that the reports on the Kim-Xi meeting were "unusually vague," making it "difficult to gauge how Pyongyang truly views the outcome of this summit."

The outlet noted that among the six Kim-Xi summits held to date, the North Korean media report introducing the results of this latest summit was the shortest.

Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping at the DPRK-China Summit (Pyongyang, Korean Central News Agency = Yonhap News) The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 5th that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who visited China to attend the 80th anniversary military parade for the Victory Day, held a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the afternoon of the 4th. 2025.9.5

[For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution]

nkphoto@yna.co.kr

Furthermore, 38 North analyzed that while past reports on Kim-Xi summits often included relatively specific references to discussion topics such as "the situation on the Korean Peninsula" or "nuclear issues," this time, more comprehensive and vague expressions like "international and regional issues" were used.

Additionally, 38 North noted that television documentaries provided almost no extra information regarding the Kim-Xi summit itself or its atmosphere, unlike the coverage of the Kim-Putin summit.

Although North Korean media reports included several positive expressions regarding DPRK-China relations, they generally remained ceremonial, and unlike previous summits, some standardized phrases demonstrating a "consensus" or "unity" between the two sides were missing, 38 North pointed out.

38 North noted that while positive phrases such as "an important opportunity to further develop friendly and cooperative relations," "strengthening high-level exchanges and strategic communication," and "strengthening strategic coordination and safeguarding common interests on international and regional issues" appeared, they were largely limited to phrases like "exchanged views candidly," "mutually informed each other of independent policy positions," and "mentioned," with few expressions indicating a consensus of opinion as seen in the past.

Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping at the DPRK-China Summit (Pyongyang, Korean Central News Agency = Yonhap News) The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 5th that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who visited China to attend the 80th anniversary military parade for the Victory Day, held a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the afternoon of the 4th. 2025.9.5

[For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution]

nkphoto@yna.co.kr

However, 38 North took note of the fact that the media reported Kim as saying, "The DPRK will continue to fully and unwaveringly support the positions and efforts of the Communist Party of China and the government of the People's Republic of China to safeguard their national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and development interests," noting that this was an unprecedented mention of the Taiwan issue via North Korean media.

38 North explained that when the first Kim-Xi summit was held in March 2018, it also followed several years of strained relations, and at that time, reports did not initially feature expressions of consensus; however, as DPRK-China relations improved, the tone of the coverage became much more positive.

38 North analyzed that "regarding DPRK-China relations, the letter Kim sends to Xi for China's National Day on October 1st (commemorating the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949) will be one of the first indicators of North Korea's true intentions toward China."