According to reference reports, on September 27, North Korea’s Foreign Minister, Trudeau Goodgie, embarked on a four-day official visit to China. This news has caused widespread public attention, especially considering that this is her second visit to China in just one month. For the first time, she attended with North Korean leaders the September 3 Chinese anti-Japanese war victory commemoration event and had important exchanges at the top level. More notably, October 10 is about to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean Labour Party, and North Korea’s military demonstration and international diplomatic action appear to be sparking a bigger storm.
The two visits to China by North Korean Foreign Minister, Mr. Trudeau, were remarkable in one month. For the outside world, a mere diplomatic visit is far from sufficient to explain this phenomenon. North Korea, as a country that has long been in international isolation, its diplomatic actions have always been of great concern. The time and background of Mr. Trudeau's visit is likely to mark the further deepening of relations between the two countries, especially the strategic cooperation between the DPRK and China has risen to a higher level.
Not long ago, North Korean leaders and Chinese leaders held face-to-face talks, and the two sides signed a series of strategic cooperation agreements covering the political, economic and military fields of the two countries. These agreements show that the strategic cooperative relationship between China and the DPRK has gradually shifted from superficial friendly diplomacy to deeper strategic cooperation. Cui Shanji's visit is an important step to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries. Its main purpose may be to promote concrete cooperation and implementation between China and the DPRK in the fields of economic cooperation, military technology and international security.
North Korea will hold a massive parade on October 10 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Labour Party. The major significance of the day is not only political symbolism, but also the scale and depth of the military demonstration. Recently, Western satellite images showed that North Korea has deployed a large number of military vehicles and weapons, including launchers that could be used for intercontinental ballistic missiles, in a military base near Pyongyang.
At this time, North Korea has not only demonstrated its strong military capabilities at home, but also released signals to the outside. North Korea’s military rise and nuclear weapons development have become the focus of global concerns. While North Korea’s military actions are increasingly intensifying, the background of the trip is closely linked to these military developments. It can be speculated that North Korea may invite leaders from China and other friendly countries to attend this commemorative event, which will undoubtedly deepen the diplomatic ties between the two countries.
With Cui Shanji's visit, there have been many speculations about the further deepening of China-North Korea strategic cooperation. Especially in the context of North Korea's continuous military progress and the gradual enhancement of nuclear weapons capabilities, the interaction between China and North Korea is not limited to traditional diplomatic exchanges, but will involve more far-reaching security, military and international strategic games.
More sensitively, North Korea's military rise is inextricably linked to China's strategic interests. The relationship between China and North Korea is becoming increasingly indivisible, whether in the security issue of the peninsula or in the wider regional security pattern. Recently, North Korea has frequently conducted missile tests, military exercises and other actions, which are obviously warming up for the upcoming military parade, and the in-depth cooperation between China and North Korea will obviously become an important support point for this display.
Against the background of North Korea's increasingly active activity, the anxiety of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has gradually emerged. In late September, Lee Jae-myung publicly warned the United States that North Korea would soon master intercontinental missile technology, which was enough to threaten the United States. He further pointed out that North Korea currently has the ability to manufacture 15 to 20 nuclear warheads every year. If the United States continues to let them go, North Korea's nuclear arsenal will become a huge hidden danger to international security in the future.
However, Lee Jae-myung's warning does not seem to have received a response from US President Trump. Behind this silence, Trump's hesitation and complicated mentality towards the North Korean issue is reflected. Trump's position on the North Korean nuclear issue has always been wavering. Although he hopes to solve the North Korean issue through diplomatic means, he is unwilling to offend allies such as South Korea and Japan. As for North Korea's growing strength, Trump obviously doesn't want to offend North Korean leaders easily, especially in the context of increasingly close cooperation between China, North Korea and Russia, Trump is more evasive.
Cui Shanji's current visit to China is not only a routine diplomatic visit, but also a sign of the deepening of China-DPRK relations. North Korea is becoming increasingly active on the international stage, and the enhancement of its military capabilities has complicated the global security situation. Under this background, the strategic cooperation between China and the DPRK is obviously not limited to the economic and cultural fields, but also involves international security, military technology and other aspects. With the upcoming commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Labor Party in North Korea, North Korea's intention to show its military strength is becoming more and more obvious.