"The Power Dynamic Has Shifted" The Reason Why Xi Jinping Chose Pyongyang After 7 Years and North Korea's 'East Sea Card'

Chinese President Xi Jinping has visited North Korea for the first time in 7 years. According to the video 'Issue Pick: With the Teacher' from a KBS documentary aired on August 9, 2026, this North Korea-China summit was Xi Jinping's first overseas visit this year and an unconventional move targeting only North Korea. North Korea welcomed Xi Jinping with the highest level of protocol, yet the results of the summit lacked all of China's core interests.

"We are a Community with a Shared Future" Xi Jinping's Unconventional Protocol and the Reversed Relationship

The most striking aspect of this summit is the change in the nature of the bilateral relationship. In the past, China emphasized its relationship with North Korea as a 'blood alliance,' but North Korea has shown a tendency to find this burdensome and attempt to define it as an interest-based 'inter-state relationship.' North Korea views inter-state relations as something equivalent to shared interests beyond mere ideological sharing, and in this summit, it asserted its equal position by confidently mentioning the 'sharing of blessings in inter-state relations.' However, in this summit, Xi Jinping delivered an unconventional message by using expressions such as a "friendship forged in blood" and a "community with a shared future." According to the video, this is interpreted as a strong signal that China places great importance on North Korea.

An interesting point is the leadership of the summit. While China held the position of 'the dominant party' in US-China summits, analysis suggests that North Korea played the role of 'the dominant party' in this North Korea-China summit. The presenter suggested that North Korea holds significant leverage over China, based on the attitude and protocol shown by Xi Jinping in North Korea. To the extent that it was mentioned that Xi Jinping's expression appeared somewhat stiff, North Korea has now risen to a position where it is no longer an entity that walks on eggshells around China, but one that can selectively accept China's strategic demands.

China's Long-held Wish for 'East Sea Access' and North Korea's Powerful Card

The reason China is putting so much effort into North Korea is clear: access to the East Sea through 'access to the sea via the Tumen River.' The three northeastern provinces of China are relatively underdeveloped, and a passage to the East Sea is desperately needed to increase logistics competitiveness. Currently, China bears the logistical burden of having to detour hundreds of kilometers through the North Korea-Russia border region. Securing access to the sea by utilizing the Tumen River, which is adjacent to the East Sea, is a long-standing strategic task for China. To realize 'common prosperity,' a core value of China, advancing to the East Sea for the development of the northeastern region is essential.

However, in the joint statement of this summit, not a single word was mentioned regarding the 'East Sea access' that China so desperately wanted. This shows that North Korea accurately understands China's weakness. North Korea knows that China must invest massive capital and effort to advance to the East Sea, and it is using this as a negotiation card. No matter how much economic support or diplomatic rhetoric China mobilizes, China's long-held wish cannot be resolved if North Korea does not open up the issue of sea access.

Furthermore, even the issue of 'denuclearization,' a key topic for the international community, was omitted from this summit. China expected to mention North Korea's nuclear issue in accordance with its diplomatic principle of valuing the United Nations system, but no related content was included in the joint statement. Rather, just before the summit, North Korea expressed satisfaction by stating that its nuclear production facilities and the capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material have reached levels exceeding twice their previous capacity. This suggests a situation where China has no choice but to remain silent on the nuclear issue while walking on eggshells around North Korea.

The Support of Russia and Nuclear Weapons: The Basis for North Korea Becoming 'the Dominant Party'

There are two strong reasons behind North Korea's ability to deal with China so confidently. First is the reliable ally, Russia. Russia unconditionally supports North Korea's policies and provides energy and economic support. According to the video, through its relationship with Russia, North Korea is shedding its past image of isolation and securing economic leeway, while securing the funds necessary to maintain its system through energy support such as oil and coal. This economic breakthrough has created a structure where North Korea does not have to rely entirely on China.

Second is the possession of nuclear weapons. A country that possesses nuclear weapons holds a security status that no one in the international political arena can easily touch. North Korea is showing confidence by stating that its nuclear production capacity exceeds twice its previous level. This security confidence and the economic breakthrough through Russia serve as the basis for North Korea to say to China, "If you do not help us, you will be the ones to lose." Ultimately, between the 'stabilization of North Korea' that China wants and the 'economic interests' that North Korea wants, the current leadership is tilting toward North Korea.