Mr Xi has held many meetings with leaders of other countries in the past couple of years but almost always in Beijing. He doesn’t travel outside China much, but next week he will make a visit to Pyongyang to see comrade Kim Jong-un—which provides an opportunity to mull China’s position and relations with not only North Korea, but also the region as a whole.
North Korea exists today because of the CCP’s support, from the Korean War on down, and regardless of whatever might have happened to the current leader’s uncle, it remains a crucially close relationship, as reflected in so many geopolitical ways, including Ukraine.
Trump’s second term has changed so much, and has been instrumental in improving China’s global positioning, at the very least relative to the perception of the US. Regionally, it’s harder to take a longer-term view, in spite of all the aircraft carriers. The Philippines and Japan are strengthening defense cooperation, South Korea seems be doing well systemically, culturally and in terms of Samsung.
Meanwhile China’s economy is not in good shape, in spite of EVs and batteries and AI, and whatever happened to the generals and defense ministers? The core issue is the island, and while the red line seems to be getting ticker, there seems for now to be no immediate plans, and the hope of Those in Command, one would guess following Trump’s visit, is to get the Trumpists to decide against supplying the island with the arms package already approved by Congress. Rubio said a couple of days ago that it is “under review”, whatever that means.
The top priority of the talks in Pyongyang, one tentatively supposes, is to do all that can be done to shore up Mr P. Any categorical change there would have massive implications for both these countries. But it’s all speculation. Transparency is a wonderful thing.
Have a great weekend.