{"id":4371,"date":"2026-06-10T19:06:48","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T19:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/06\/10\/china-re-centers-north-korea-ties-as-nuclear-silence-reshapes-balance\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T19:06:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T19:06:48","slug":"china-re-centers-north-korea-ties-as-nuclear-silence-reshapes-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=4371","title":{"rendered":"China re\u2011centers North Korea ties as nuclear silence reshapes balance"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"slug-wrap\">\n<h4 class=\"slug-tag\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/analysis\/\"><br \/>\n            Analysis<br \/>\n            <\/a><br \/>\n        <\/h4>\n<h3 class=\"slug\">\n    <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"storytitle\">\n<h1>China re\u2011centers North Korea ties as nuclear silence reshapes balance<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORYTITLE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"story-meta\" class=\"story-meta has-byline\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one-inner\">\n<div class=\"dateblock\">\n    <time datetime=\"2026-06-10T06:30:00-04:00\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"date\">June 10, 2026<\/span><span class=\"time\">6:30 AM ET<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/time>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE-INNER\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-meta__two\">\n<div id=\"storybyline\" class=\"storybyline-wrap linkLocation\">\n<div class=\"bucketwrap byline\">\n<div class=\"byline-container--block byline-container--block-nophoto\">\n<p class=\"byline__name--block\">By\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"byline byline--block byline--has-link\" aria-label=\"Byline\">\n<div class=\"byline__photo\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/4458700\/anthony-kuhn\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2018\/06\/27\/akuhn_sq-696c5637de29f97baea7015e28353c2a22713845.jpg?s=100&amp;c=85&amp;f=jpeg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Anthony Kuhn\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2018\/06\/27\/akuhn_sq-696c5637de29f97baea7015e28353c2a22713845.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"jpeg\"><br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<p class=\"byline__name byline__name--block\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/4458700\/anthony-kuhn\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n      Anthony Kuhn<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"byline__name--block byline__comma\">,\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"byline byline--block byline--has-link\" aria-label=\"Byline\">\n<div class=\"byline__photo\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/g-s1-110428\/jennifer-pak\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/1333x1333+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1e%2Fe6%2F663f6a264498a4064b4642357357%2Fjennifer-pak.JPG\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Headshot of Jennifer Pak\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/1333x1333+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1e%2Fe6%2F663f6a264498a4064b4642357357%2Fjennifer-pak.JPG\" data-format=\"jpeg\"><br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<p class=\"byline__name byline__name--block\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/g-s1-110428\/jennifer-pak\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n      Jennifer Pak<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP BYLINE\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__TWO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"STORY-META\" CLASS=\"STORY-META HAS-BYLINE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"headlineaudio\" class=\"storylocation linkLocation\">\n<article id=\"resnx-s1-9803995\" class=\"bucketwrap resaudio\" aria-label=\"audio-module\">\n<div class=\"audio-module\">\n<h4 class=\"audio-module-title\">China and North Korea renew ties, complicating U.S. response to Kim&#8217;s nuclear program<\/h4>\n<div class=\"audio-module-controls-wrap\" data-audio='{\"uid\":\"g-s1-127013:nx-s1-9803995\",\"available\":true,\"duration\":242,\"title\":\"China and North Korea renew ties, complicating U.S. response to Kimu0027s nuclear program\",\"audioUrl\":\"https:\/\/ondemand.npr.org\/anon.npr-mp3\/npr\/me\/2026\/06\/20260610_me_china_and_north_korea_renew_ties_complicating_u.s._response_to_kim_s_nuclear_program.mp3?t=progseg&amp;e=nx-s1-5828523&amp;p=3&amp;seg=4&amp;d=242&amp;size=3884139&amp;sc=siteplayer\",\"storyUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/10\/g-s1-127013\/xi-jinping-visits-pyongyang-china-north-korea-ties\",\"slug\":\"world, reordering\",\"program\":\"\",\"affiliation\":\"\",\"song\":\"\",\"artist\":\"\",\"album\":\"\",\"track\":0,\"type\":\"segment\",\"subtype\":\"other\",\"skipSponsorship\":false,\"hasAdsWizz\":false,\"isStreamAudioType\":false,\"podcastEpisodeRawType\":\"\",\"podcastEpisodeDerivedPlusType\":\"\"}' data-audio-metrics=\"[]\">\n<div class=\"audio-module-controls audio-module-controls--no-js\">\n            <a class=\"audio-module-listen\" href=\"https:\/\/ondemand.npr.org\/anon.npr-mp3\/npr\/me\/2026\/06\/20260610_me_china_and_north_korea_renew_ties_complicating_u.s._response_to_kim_s_nuclear_program.mp3?t=progseg&amp;e=nx-s1-5828523&amp;p=3&amp;seg=4&amp;d=242&amp;size=3884139&amp;sc=siteplayer&amp;aw_0_1st.playerid=siteplayer\"><br \/>\n                <b class=\"audio-module-listen-inner\"><br \/>\n                    <b class=\"audio-module-listen-text\"><br \/>\n                        <b class=\"audio-module-cta\"><br \/>\n                            Listen<br \/>\n                        <\/b><br \/>\n                        <b class=\"audio-module-listen-duration\"><br \/>\n                            <span>\u00b7 <\/span><br \/>\n                            <span>4:02<\/span><br \/>\n                        <\/b><br \/>\n                    <\/b><br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n            <\/a><br \/>\n                <time class=\"audio-module-duration\" datetime=\"P4M,2S\"><br \/>\n                  <span class=\"audio-module-duration__initial-value\">4:02<\/span><br \/>\n                <\/time>\n        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"audio-module-tools\">\n        <button class=\"audio-module-tools-toggle\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"audio\",\"action\":\"audio_open_more_options\",\"storyId\":\"g-s1-127013\",\"mediaId\":\"nx-s1-9803995\",\"title\":\"China reu2011centers North Korea ties as nuclear silence reshapes balance\",\"type\":\"ondemand\"}'><br \/>\n            <b class=\"label\">Toggle more options<\/b><br \/>\n        <\/button><\/p>\n<ul class=\"audio-module-more-tools\">\n<li class=\"audio-tool audio-tool-download\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ondemand.npr.org\/anon.npr-mp3\/npr\/me\/2026\/06\/20260610_me_china_and_north_korea_renew_ties_complicating_u.s._response_to_kim_s_nuclear_program.mp3?t=progseg&amp;e=nx-s1-5828523&amp;p=3&amp;seg=4&amp;d=242&amp;size=3884139&amp;sc=siteplayer&amp;aw_0_1st.playerid=siteplayer\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"audio\",\"action\":\"audio_download\",\"storyId\":\"g-s1-127013\",\"mediaId\":\"nx-s1-9803995\",\"title\":\"China reu2011centers North Korea ties as nuclear silence reshapes balance\",\"type\":\"ondemand\"}'><b class=\"audio-tool-label\">Download<\/b><\/a>\n                <\/li>\n<li class=\"audio-tool audio-tool-embed\">\n                    <button data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/g-s1-127013\/nx-s1-9803995\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"audio\",\"action\":\"audio_embed\",\"storyId\":\"g-s1-127013\",\"mediaId\":\"nx-s1-9803995\",\"title\":\"China reu2011centers North Korea ties as nuclear silence reshapes balance\",\"type\":\"ondemand\"}'><b class=\"button-inner\"><b class=\"audio-tool-label\">Embed<\/b><\/b><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"audio-embed-overlay\">\n                        <label class=\"embed-label\"><br \/>\n                            <b class=\"label\">Embed<\/b><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/label><br \/>\n                        <b class=\"embed-url embed-url-touch\"><br \/>\n                            <code><b class=\"punctuation\">&lt;<\/b>iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/g-s1-127013\/nx-s1-9803995\" width=\"100%\" height=\"290\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"NPR embedded audio player\"&gt;<\/code><br \/>\n                        <\/b>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"storytext\" class=\"storytext storylocation linkLocation\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-127019\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 5402;--source-height: 3602\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5402x3602+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F30%2F16%2F42b389b947b59574f5b934666b80%2Fap26160120809542.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5402x3602+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F30%2F16%2F42b389b947b59574f5b934666b80%2Fap26160120809542.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Two leaders wearing suits shake hands outdoors on a red carpet.\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                In this photo provided by the North Korean government, Chinese President Xi Jinping (center left) shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (center right) during a welcome ceremony in Pyongyang on Monday.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    \u671d\u9bae\u901a\u4fe1\u793e\/KCNA via KNS via AP<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        \u671d\u9bae\u901a\u4fe1\u793e\/KCNA via KNS via AP<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>SEOUL\/SHANGHAI \u2014 The leaders of China and North Korea reaffirmed their alliance this week in Pyongyang, emphasizing strategic cooperation while avoiding public discussion of North Korea&#8217;s nuclear weapons program.<\/p>\n<p>The two-day trip \u2014 President Xi Jinping&#8217;s first to North Korea in nearly seven years \u2014 comes shortly after his summit with President Trump in Beijing, where the White House said both sides agreed on the shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea.<\/p>\n<p>Beijing did not publicly echo Washington&#8217;s claim. And this week in Pyongyang, Xi made no public mention of denuclearization.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Xi focused on China&#8217;s &#8220;firm commitment to safeguarding the shared interests of the two countries and preserving a favorable strategic environment,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chinadailyasia.com\/hk\/article\/634652\" target=\"_blank\">according<\/a> to Chinese state media.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-127013-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImageg-s1-126863\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/08\/g-s1-126863\/xi-and-kim-express-hopes-for-greater-ties-between-china-and-north-korea\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"recirculation\",\"action\":\"story_recirculation_click\",\"clickType\":\"inset box\",\"clickUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/08\/g-s1-126863\/xi-and-kim-express-hopes-for-greater-ties-between-china-and-north-korea\"}'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3334x3334+833+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3c%2Fa2%2F245d03ee4576ba06b6919bbaa597%2Fap26158019925835.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3334x3334+833+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3c%2Fa2%2F245d03ee4576ba06b6919bbaa597%2Fap26158019925835.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3334x3334+833+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3c%2Fa2%2F245d03ee4576ba06b6919bbaa597%2Fap26158019925835.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt='FILE - In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: \"KCNA\" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency\/Korea News Service via AP, File)' loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/g-s1-69417\/world-reordering\">World, reordering <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/08\/g-s1-126863\/xi-and-kim-express-hopes-for-greater-ties-between-china-and-north-korea\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"recirculation\",\"action\":\"story_recirculation_click\",\"clickType\":\"inset box\",\"clickUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/08\/g-s1-126863\/xi-and-kim-express-hopes-for-greater-ties-between-china-and-north-korea\"}'>Xi and Kim express hopes for greater ties between China and North Korea<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESG-S1-127013-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>North Korea&#8217;s state media, meanwhile, quoted leader Kim Jong Un as saying that ties with China are &#8220;the most important and primary strategic undertaking&#8221; of his country.<\/p>\n<p>This language suggests Kim is trying to balance his relationship with both Beijing and Moscow, elevating China&#8217;s diplomatic significance after a period of closer alignment with Russia.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\"><strong>China&#8217;s silence over North Korea&#8217;s nuclear program could also create a dilemma for itself<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Xi&#8217;s silence on North Korea&#8217;s nuclear program came as Kim tried to convince the world of the irreversibility of his country&#8217;s status as a nuclear power.<\/p>\n<p>Days earlier, Pyongyang unveiled a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/04\/g-s1-126041\/north-korea-unveils-a-new-plant-to-produce-fuel-for-nuclear-weapons\" target=\"_blank\">nuclear bomb fuel plant<\/a>. Kim also announced his plans to expand his country&#8217;s nuclear arsenal &#8220;at an exponential rate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. claims that a denuclearized Korean Peninsula is a shared goal with China. But Beijing has not publicly confirmed such an agreement, and Kim&#8217;s sister has dismissed the U.S. claim as &#8220;false.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-127013-101\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImageg-s1-126041\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/04\/g-s1-126041\/north-korea-unveils-a-new-plant-to-produce-fuel-for-nuclear-weapons\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"recirculation\",\"action\":\"story_recirculation_click\",\"clickType\":\"inset box\",\"clickUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/04\/g-s1-126041\/north-korea-unveils-a-new-plant-to-produce-fuel-for-nuclear-weapons\"}'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2959x2959+740+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5d%2F56%2F9e4e6cbf43ff925ff913b78e7fb4%2Fap26154836958089.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2959x2959+740+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5d%2F56%2F9e4e6cbf43ff925ff913b78e7fb4%2Fap26154836958089.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2959x2959+740+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5d%2F56%2F9e4e6cbf43ff925ff913b78e7fb4%2Fap26154836958089.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"In this photo provided by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un, front right, visits a new facility to produce nuclear bomb fuels at an undisclosed place in North Korea Wednesday, June 3, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/g-s1-69417\/world-reordering\">World, reordering <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/04\/g-s1-126041\/north-korea-unveils-a-new-plant-to-produce-fuel-for-nuclear-weapons\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"recirculation\",\"action\":\"story_recirculation_click\",\"clickType\":\"inset box\",\"clickUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/04\/g-s1-126041\/north-korea-unveils-a-new-plant-to-produce-fuel-for-nuclear-weapons\"}'>North Korea unveils a new plant to produce fuel for nuclear weapons<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESG-S1-127013-101\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Tong Zhao, a senior fellow of the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says China&#8217;s approach reflects its shift in priorities.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;China appears to downplay the issue of North Korea&#8217;s nuclear weapon program in order to prioritize improving bilateral relations [with Pyongyang],&#8221; says Zhao, adding that Beijing has made &#8220;a very significant policy change to tacitly accept the reality of a nuclear North Korea.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But, he adds, this could also create a dilemma for Xi. &#8220;It could prompt U.S. allies like South Korea and Japan to strengthen their security relations with Washington,&#8221; Zhao says.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\"><strong>China and North Korea seek to &#8220;expand their alliance relationship beyond the Korean Peninsula&#8221;<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-126865\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 3911;--source-height: 2607\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3911x2607+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb3%2F74%2F99ef623e4a8baecca8ca9d8fe6d5%2Fap26159112857629.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3911x2607+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb3%2F74%2F99ef623e4a8baecca8ca9d8fe6d5%2Fap26159112857629.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"A street is decorated with the flags of China and North Korea in Pyongyang, on Monday, June 8, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                A street is decorated with the flags of China and North Korea in Pyongyang on Monday.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Jon Chol Jin\/AP<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Jon Chol Jin\/AP<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Until recently, both China and Russia publicly supported denuclearization. As recently as 2023, Beijing and Moscow backed a &#8220;dual track&#8221; approach, combining denuclearizing North Korea with a permanent peace regime to replace the 1953 Korean War armistice.<\/p>\n<p>But geopolitics has changed since then.<\/p>\n<p>Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine drew North Korea closer to its orbit, with Pyongyang providing Moscow with munitions and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/06\/16\/g-s1-71531\/north-korea-soldiers-russia-ukraine-war-drones\" target=\"_blank\">troops<\/a>. And a 2023 meeting at<a href=\"https:\/\/kr.usembassy.gov\/111924-joint-statement-of-japan-the-republic-of-korea-and-the-united-states\/\" target=\"_blank\"> Camp David<\/a> under the Biden administration advanced trilateral political and military cooperation between the U.S., Japan and South Korea \u2014 a move that angered China.<\/p>\n<p>By 2024, China and Russia had largely pivoted away from the &#8220;dual-track&#8221; approach, focusing instead on criticizing U.S. sanctions and military pressure on North Korea.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.38north.org\/author\/jaewoo-choo\/\" target=\"_blank\">Choo Jaewoo<\/a>, a foreign policy expert at Kyung Hee University, says that Xi and Kim&#8217;s remarks suggest broader ambitions between the two allies.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They would like to expand their alliance relationship beyond the Korean Peninsula,&#8221; Choo says.<\/p>\n<p>This could include North Korea&#8217;s involvement in wider regional flashpoints, including Taiwan. This week, the two sides agreed on boosting exchanges, including <a href=\"https:\/\/en.yna.co.kr\/view\/AEN20260609009700315\" target=\"_blank\">military cooperation.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Kim has also articulated his broader ambitions for North Korea&#8217;s role in the new geopolitical environment.<\/p>\n<p>He wants his country to act as a contributor to what he and his partners describe as a &#8220;fair and just international order&#8221; \u2014 language that echoes rhetoric used by both China and Russia to challenge the U.S.-led world order.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\"><strong>A loose alignment or a new alliance?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>But while some see a growing threat from an emerging bloc including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea \u2014 sometimes known as &#8220;CRINK&#8221; \u2014 Seong-hyon Lee, an associate at Harvard University&#8217;s Asia Center, says the arrangement is more transactional than institutional.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This does not require a formal alliance,&#8221; says Lee. &#8220;This just requires loose alignment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>And Beijing and Pyongyang are not the only ones to discuss updating their decades-old alliance.<\/p>\n<p>It comes as the U.S. and South Korea are discussing &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/sejong.org\/web\/boad\/1\/egoread.php?bd=22&amp;itm=&amp;txt=&amp;pg=1&amp;seq=12473\" target=\"_blank\">alliance modernization<\/a>&#8221; and &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/future-rok-us-alliance-adapting-changing-world\" target=\"_blank\">strategic flexibility<\/a>,&#8221; which would entail South Korea&#8217;s military taking the lead in deterring the North, while U.S. forces shift their focus toward deterring China.<\/p>\n<p><em>NPR&#8217;s Se Eun Gong in Seoul and Jasmine Ling in Beijing contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/127994355\/china\">China<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/126922963\/north-korea\">North Korea<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/133406501\/u-s-foreign-policy\">U.S. foreign policy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"TAGS\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"share-tools share-tools--secondary\" aria-label=\"Share tools\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--facebook\"><button class=\"fbStoryg-s1-127013\" data-share-facebook='{\"storyId\": \"g-s1-127013\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"facebook\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Facebook<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--flipboard\"><button class=\"storyg-s1-127013\" data-share-flipboard='{\"storyId\": \"g-s1-127013\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"flipboard\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Flipboard<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--email\"><button class=\"share-tools__email-link\" data-story-id=\"g-s1-127013\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"email\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Email<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"SHARE-TOOLS SHARE-TOOLS-SECONDARY\" ARIA-LABEL=\"SHARE TOOLS\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"NEWSLETTER-ACQUISITION-CALLOUT-DATA\" DATA-NEWSLETTER=\"{&amp;QUOT;NEWSLETTERID&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;NEWS&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;TITLE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;UP FIRST&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;MARKETINGHEADER&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SIGN UP FOR NPR&#039;S UP FIRST NEWSLETTER&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;FREQUENCY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;EVERY DAY&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;SHORTDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;THE STORIES YOU NEED TO START YOUR DAY, HAND-PICKED FOR YOU EVERY WEEKDAY. 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