Beijing Meeting: China and North Korea Assert Mutual Support Amid Missile Test Backlash!
China-North Korea Alliance: Wang Yi lauds enduring friendship during talks with North Korean delegation in Beijing.
Amidst the challenging global landscape, China and North Korea consistently back each other, showcasing the strategic importance of their cooperative ties, per a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
In a year marked by North Korea’s numerous weapons tests, including a recent ICBM launch covering the entire United States, both nations discussed shared concerns during their meeting in Beijing, as reported by Japan’s defense ministry.
While specific details of the talks were not disclosed, the Chinese foreign ministry emphasized the commitment to enhance communication, coordination, and broad cooperation with North Korea. Wang Yi expressed eagerness to foster the ongoing development of their amicable relations.
Despite being a key supporter, China-North Korea relations hit a snag in 2020 due to border closures amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Recent indications suggest North Korea’s diplomatic reengagement, with leader Kim Jong Un and officials undertaking rare overseas visits. KCNA reported discussions on strengthening bilateral relations in 2024 during Pak’s delegation visit to Beijing on Saturday, alongside Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense reveals the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), raising concerns about its potential reach across the entire US.
Shingo Miyake, the parliamentary vice minister of defense, stated, “The ICBM-class ballistic missile launched this time, if calculated based on the trajectory, depending on weight of warhead, could have a flying range of over 15,000km [9,320 miles].”
The short-range missile, launched from the Pyongyang area towards the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan around 10:38 pm (13:38 GMT), covered approximately 570km (354 miles) before plunging into the ocean, according to South Korea.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, responding with urgency, convened a meeting of his National Security Council, denouncing the launches as “not only a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions but also a threat to peace and stability of the region.”
South Korea strongly condemned the launches as “a grave provocation” endangering international peace.
These consecutive launches occurred in the backdrop of South Korea and the US enhancing their joint nuclear deterrence capabilities in response to North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats. Pyongyang has marked the year with a record number of weapons tests and the launch of a spy satellite, advancing leader Kim Jong Un’s agenda to modernize North Korea’s military capabilities.
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