North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s latest trip to Beijing has sent ripples through the global diplomatic landscape, marking a pivotal moment in the evolving relationship between Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow. On September 4, 2025, Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital, underscoring both nations’ determination to strengthen their alliance—one that now appears more robust and strategically significant than at any point in recent history.
The summit, held in the wake of China’s largest military parade since the end of World War II, was a spectacle of unity. The parade itself, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender, drew 26 foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. The trio’s joint appearance on the viewing platform—Xi at the center, flanked by Kim and Putin—was broadcast worldwide, a visual testament to their deepening ties and shared opposition to U.S. dominance on the global stage, as reported by Xinhua and KCNA.
Kim’s meeting with Xi was their first in six years, and their sixth bilateral summit since 2018. Yet, as The New York Times noted, this meeting broke from tradition in a striking way: for the first time, neither side mentioned the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. In past summits, denuclearization was a central talking point. Its conspicuous absence this time was interpreted by analysts as a diplomatic victory for Kim, who has long sought international acceptance of North Korea as a nuclear-armed state. Lee Byong-chul, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, told The New York Times, “China will not formally endorse North Korea as a nuclear power, but the latest meeting showed that it was no longer insisting on its denuclearization. It’s huge progress for Kim Jong Un’s strategy of getting his nuclear arsenal accepted as a fait accompli.”
According to KCNA, Kim expressed his country’s unwavering commitment to the alliance, stating, “No matter how the international situation changes, the feeling of friendship cannot change” between Pyongyang and Beijing. He added that North Korea would “as ever invariably support and encourage the stand and efforts of the Communist Party of China and the government of the People’s Republic of China to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests of the state.” Xi echoed these sentiments, characterizing the two nations as “good neighbours, good friends and good comrades” who “share one destiny,” and pledged to “defend, consolidate and develop” their relationship, according to Xinhua and KCNA.
Behind the scenes, the summit was more than a show of camaraderie. The two leaders discussed intensifying high-level visits, strategic communication, and expanding economic and trade cooperation. For North Korea, which relies on China for nearly all its external trade, this is a lifeline—especially as Pyongyang’s support for Russia in the Ukraine war has strained its relationship with Beijing. South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea has sent as many as 15,000 troops to Russia, with around 2,000 killed in combat, as NBC News and The New York Times reported. North Korea has also provided artillery ammunition and missiles to Moscow, drawing international condemnation and further isolating Kim’s regime from the West.
Putin, for his part, expressed gratitude for North Korea’s support. At a separate bilateral summit with Kim in Beijing on September 3, 2025, Putin praised the “deepening military partnership” between Moscow and Pyongyang and sent Kim a congratulatory message for North Korea’s foundation day. “Your combat force’s heroic involvement in liberating the Kursk territories from the invaders is a distinct symbol of friendship and mutual aid between Russia and North Korea,” Putin’s message read, according to KCNA. “I am confident that we will continue to work together to consolidate the comprehensive strategic partnership between our two countries.”
This unprecedented public display of unity among the three leaders has not gone unnoticed in Washington. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, apparently rattled by the Beijing summit, posted on his Truth Social platform: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.” The Kremlin swiftly dismissed Trump’s remarks, with an aide stating, “no one even had this in their thoughts,” according to Reuters.
For analysts, the Xi-Kim summit represents more than a simple restoration of ties. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at South Korea’s Kyungnam University, told NBC News that the meeting “points to the possibility of a new leap forward.” It was an opportunity for North Korea to reaffirm China’s backing amid international sanctions and isolation, and for China to signal its intent to maintain influence over the Korean Peninsula. The summit also gave North Korea grounds to justify holding on to its nuclear weapons, with China’s support for Pyongyang’s “core interests” seen as tacit acknowledgment of North Korea’s nuclear status.
Yet, China’s approach remains nuanced. While Beijing is not formally endorsing North Korea as a nuclear power, it is also no longer pressing for denuclearization—a shift that reflects the broader strategic competition between the United States, China, and Russia. Both Russia and China have used their veto power at the U.N. Security Council to block new sanctions on North Korea in recent years, granting Pyongyang greater freedom to pursue its weapons programs. In 2024, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the idea of “denuclearizing” North Korea was a “closed matter,” according to The New York Times.
Despite these developments, experts suggest that China may still use economic cooperation as leverage to encourage Pyongyang to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. “China may well use economic cooperation as leverage to press Pyongyang to ease tensions in the interest of regional stability,” Lim Eul-chul observed. Meanwhile, Yang Moo-jin, a distinguished chair professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, argued that North Korea is likely to seek further support from recognized nuclear powers—especially China—before entertaining any new talks with the United States.
As Kim Jong Un’s armored train departed Beijing on the night of September 4, 2025, with a send-off attended by top Chinese Communist Party officials including Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the message was clear: the alliance between North Korea and China is not only intact but stronger than ever, even as the world around them shifts. The implications for regional security, the nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula, and the balance of power in East Asia are profound—and the world will be watching closely as this new chapter unfolds.