The 11th was the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between North Korea and China.
The North Korea-China Friendship Treaty was signed on July 11, 1961, when then Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai and North Korean President Kim Il-sung met in Beijing. clause is included.
This treaty has continued to this day in accordance with the provisions of Article 7, 'Unless both parties agree to amend or lose effect'.
Choe Ryong-hae, North Korea's 'second rank in power', presides over the banquet... China is 'Zamjam'
The atmosphere between the two sides, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the North Korea-China friendship treaty, seemed quite different.
First, North Korea was active.
It was the 60th anniversary rather than the 59th anniversary, so I would have wanted to celebrate it more.
On the 9th, two days before the anniversary, Choe Ryong-hae, the first vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission, who is ranked second in the North Korean power hierarchy, personally presided over the banquet.
Chinese ambassador to North Korea, Ri Jinjun, and staff of the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang were invited, and high-ranking North Korean officials including Kim Seong-nam, director of international affairs at the Workers' Party of Korea, attended.
The North Korean Central News Agency announced the fact that the banquet was held the next day.
On the other hand, four days have passed since the anniversary of the signing of the treaty, and so far there has been no news of a commemorative banquet or event held in Beijing.
A diplomatic source in Beijing said, "I don't know anything about the event held in Beijing," and "I know there was no particular trend."
Another expert on North Korea-China relations said, "No banquet was held," while another expert said, "If an event such as a banquet was held, the Chinese or North Korean media would have reported it."
It can only be interpreted that the event, such as a banquet, was not held at all, or that China did not want to disclose it.
China reports the exchange of personal letters 'shortly' 6 hours later than North Korea
Not that there were no events at all.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un exchanged personal letters on the same day on the 11th.
However, the attitudes of the two sides were also different.
The North Korean Central News Agency announced the exchange of personal letters around 6 am on the 11th.
On the other hand, Xinhua News Agency of China reported for the first time around 11 am Chinese time and 12 pm Korean time.
It was revealed that they exchanged personal letters six hours later than North Korea.
The news of the exchange of letters seemed to have less weight than the news of the Copa America victory of the Argentine football team, which was known in China at the same time.
On the 11th, China's state-run CCTV reported the exchange of personal letters in brief eight times, while the news of Argentina's victory was reported 12 times, detailing key scenes of the game and Lionel Messi's performance.
If you add the news of the final match against Brazil, the daily coverage is higher.
Kim Jong-un "It gets thicker with the days of friendship"... Xi Jinping "willingness to provide happiness"
Differences are also read in the content of the letter. President Xi Jinping and Chairman Kim Jong-un both celebrated the 60th anniversary of the North Korea-China Treaty of Friendship at the outset. The meaning of the treaty and the relationship between the two sides for 60 years were similarly described.
However, in the passage that followed, Chairman Kim Jong-un said, "Despite the unprecedentedly complex international situation, the comrade trust and militant friendship between North Korea and China (North Korea and China) are growing day by day. It is being fully sublimated and developed to a higher level in each field, including economy, military, and culture," he said. "The DPRK-China friendship treaty is demonstrating a stronger vitality in defending and driving the socialist cause of the two countries and ensuring world peace and stability today, when hostile forces are increasingly challenged and sabotaged," he said. "It is the unwavering position of the party and government to constantly strengthen and develop the DPRK-China relationship in accordance with the demands of the new era and the aspirations of the people of both countries," he said.
Xi Jinping's personal letter states that "the two parties and the two countries have been strengthening the traditional fraternal friendship over the past 60 years, driving the development of the cause of socialism and safeguarding world peace and stability." There is no saying that the trust and friendship between the two countries is growing day by day or that the friendship is sublimating and developing to a higher level. Instead, he said, "Through several reunions with Comrade General Kim (Chairman Kim Jong-un), I have achieved a series of important common perceptions that design the prospects for the development of relations between the two parties and enrich the historical content of Sino-DPRK friendship." I wrote down. "I am willing to continuously take the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries to a new level and provide greater happiness to both countries and the people of both countries," he said.
Il-hyeon Moon, a professor at China's Political Science University, said, "There is a difference in the tone of the letter. While North Korea is focused on strengthening practical cooperation such as easing sanctions against North Korea, China mainly uses rhetorical expressions on the relationship between the two countries. “, he summed up. Regarding the fact that China did not hold a commemorative banquet or did not disclose the fact even if it did hold a banquet, it was analyzed that it was "strategic consideration not to provoke the United States in the midst of under-the-ground contact to open up dialogue between the United States and China." At this point, if China makes a gesture of strongly pulling North Korea to its side, it could adversely affect U.S.-China relations. If China uses the North Korean card, there seems to be a concern that the United States may come out with a stronger stance on the Taiwan issue.
A source familiar with North Korea-China relations also gave a similar assessment. In particular, the source said, "China has asked North Korea to change its attitude," the source said, referring to President Xi Jinping's comments that "he is willing to bring the two countries' relationship to a new level and provide greater happiness for the people of both countries." interpreted as If North Korea changes its attitude, such as actively appearing in the international community, it should be seen as saying that it will help them eat and live well. The source cited the fact that most of the UN sanctions against North Korea are now being made through China. North Korea wants to use the US-China conflict as a card to overcome economic difficulties and resume North Korea-US dialogue. It was analyzed that the change in attitude was requested first. The source said that North Korean officials were very displeased with President Xi Jinping's personal letter. Although the United States is the same opponent, the approach seems to be different between North Korea and China, even in the history of '60 years of friendship'.