Two Noteworthy Developments Following Kim Jong-un's Meeting with Wang Huning

On the afternoon of September 2, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Beijing on his green, bulletproof train to attend the September 3 military parade. (Video screenshot)

[People News] On October 24, North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un unexpectedly crossed the New Yalu River Bridge into Dandong, China. In response, the Chinese Communist Party dispatched Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, to meet him. The absence of a meeting with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping during this visit raises eyebrows; it is evidently more complex than simply laying wreaths and proclaiming China-North Korea friendship.

On October 26, during a routine press conference at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a reporter from South Korea's Yonhap News Agency posed a question of great interest: Was Kim Jong-un's visit prompted by an invitation from the Chinese side or initiated by North Korea?

The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not directly address this question but instead noted that Wang Huning accompanied Kim Jong-un during his visit to Dandong. If there are no unexpected developments, it appears that Kim Jong-un is the one who initiated this sudden visit, and his urgent desire to meet with senior Chinese officials is likely connected to the ongoing closed-door meeting of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Ahead of the Fifth Plenary Session, Chinese Premier Li Qiang's visits to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Russia were marked by unusual coverage from state media. Notably, the Chinese state media did not report that Li Qiang, as he had in previous visits, conveyed greetings from Xi Jinping to the presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. During his meeting with the Russian Prime Minister, he also refrained from mentioning Xi's name. In a surprising turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled from Moscow to St. Petersburg specifically to meet with Li Qiang. Additionally, after Li Qiang's departure from Moscow, a news article from the Russian news agency included a large photo of Li Qiang in a report about Putin discussing energy matters with him. These developments suggest that Li Qiang may have hinted at potential changes within the upper ranks of the Communist Party to the three countries involved.

Considering the close ties between Putin and Kim Jong-un in recent years, it is unlikely that Putin would withhold certain undisclosed information from Kim. Kim Jong-un's swift visit to Dandong might have been aimed at clarifying specific issues face-to-face.

Following Kim Jong-un's trip to Dandong, two noteworthy events took place. On October 26 (Monday), Kim Jong-un sent a thank-you telegram to Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam, reaffirming his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. He expressed, 'I believe that the traditional friendly cooperative relationship between our two countries, which entered a new stage of development after our meeting in Pyongyang last October, will continue to deepen in a manner that serves the common interests of our peoples.'

Su Lin's congratulatory message on the 78th anniversary of North Korea's founding was issued on September 9, in which he remarked, 'Vietnam is prepared to continue developing relations with North Korea.' However, it wasn't until over a month later that Kim Jong-un sent a reply, expressing his agreement on deepening the bilateral relationship. This response came on the Monday following his visit to Dandong, which raises some questions. As of now, I have not seen any reports from the Vietnam News Agency regarding this.

How can the relationship between North Korea and Vietnam be further strengthened? According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency, during Su Lin's visit to North Korea in 2025, Kim Jong-un remarked, 'The Vietnamese government and people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, have achieved remarkable accomplishments in their efforts to build a prosperous and strong nation, which brings me joy.' During their discussions, both sides sincerely and openly exchanged views on 'expanding cooperation between the two parties and the peoples of the two countries in line with the demands of the times, as well as on issues of mutual concern.' Is it possible that Kim Jong-un is beginning to learn from Vietnam?

In addition to Kim Jong-un's reply to the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Reuters recently reported that Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will arrive in North Korea on October 29 and will preside over a reopening ceremony for the Swiss diplomatic office in Pyongyang on the 30th. He will also engage in talks with the North Korean government, covering topics such as the resumption of bilateral consultations between the foreign ministries of both countries, security on the Korean Peninsula, and geopolitical issues.

The report states that the new diplomatic office is under the Swiss Embassy in Beijing, which began operations on the 19th of this month. However, Switzerland's diplomatic and consular relations with North Korea will still be managed by the embassy in Beijing.

Kim Jong-un studied in Switzerland during his youth. Since 1997, Switzerland has maintained a humanitarian cooperation office in Pyongyang, which was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the evacuation of personnel. Now, after a six-year break, this office has been reopened. What does this signify?

Following his unexpected visit to Dandong, Kim Jong-un's two subsequent actions clearly indicate a move to distance himself from Beijing. What kind of shifts might occur within the upper ranks of the Chinese Communist Party that would prompt Kim Jong-un to explore alternative options for himself?

(First published by People News)△