China and North Korea Hold Summit Without Mentioning Denuclearization

Chinese President Xi Jinping met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on Monday and Tuesday. Neither country's official readout referenced North Korea's nuclear program or denuclearization efforts. Patrick Cronin, chair for Asia-Pacific security at the Hudson Institute, said the absence of any denuclearization language indicated China prioritized countering U.S. regional influence over addressing North Korea's nuclear weapons.

Xi's visit marked his first trip to North Korea since 2019.

The meeting followed his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing last month, where the White House said both leaders confirmed a shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea. State media reports from both China and North Korea omitted any reference to denuclearization.

During Xi's 2019 visit, he had expressed support for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Cronin said the summit conveyed a message of unity between the two countries. He added that both sides seek a more favorable balance of power in Northeast Asia.

Rapson, former acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, described the meeting as another data point in evolving Northeast Asia geopolitics. He noted that Xi reminded Pyongyang of North Korea's importance to Beijing. Rapson said the nuclear issue will need to be addressed for any future U.S.-North Korea reengagement. He added that time and opportunity for such engagement are running out.