SEOUL, October 2026 : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to strengthen ties with China during a surprise visit to the Chinese border city of Dandong, where he paid tribute to Chinese soldiers killed in the Korean War and crossed a newly opened bridge connecting the two countries, state media reported on Sunday.
Kim arrived in Dandong on Saturday via the New Amnok River Bridge, also known as the New Yalu River Bridge, linking North Korea’s border city of Sinuiju with Dandong in China. The bridge, whose construction was completed in 2014, opened earlier this month after years of delay.
The visit marks Kim’s first known trip to China since September 2025 and comes as Pyongyang seeks to reinforce its traditional alliance with Beijing while expanding military and political cooperation with Russia, including its support for Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim was accompanied by senior North Korean officials, including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, his sister Kim Yo Jong and Workers’ Party Presidium member Jo Yong Won.
Kim Pays Tribute to Chinese Soldiers
During his visit to Dandong, Kim visited a memorial dedicated to Chinese soldiers who fought alongside North Korean forces during the 1950-53 Korean War. He also met Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a member of China’s top political leadership.
“We will always remember the history when the excellent sons and daughters of the Chinese people helped our revolution at the cost of their blood and steadily and firmly carry forward the history of the DPRK-China friendship,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
The visit coincided with the 76th anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War, when Chinese forces joined North Korea against South Korean, US and other United Nations forces.
Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings to Kim and described the memorial visit as significant for preserving and developing the two countries’ traditional friendship and “militant fraternity,” KCNA reported.
Kim also visited a bus factory in Dandong before returning to North Korea across the newly opened bridge. He said the structure would fulfil its “historic mission” by connecting the two nations and strengthening relations between their peoples.
Strategic Partnership Amid Russia Ties
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that the visit was Kim’s sixth known trip to China since he assumed power in 2011.
During his previous visit in September 2025, Kim met Xi in Beijing and attended events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and other foreign leaders.
China remains North Korea’s most important economic partner and a key diplomatic ally. However, Pyongyang has intensified its strategic partnership with Moscow, reportedly sending thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, potentially in exchange for military and economic assistance.
Beijing has sought to preserve its influence over Pyongyang as North Korea deepens its engagement with Russia. Xi visited Pyongyang in June 2026, when the two leaders pledged to expand cooperation in political, economic and other areas.
Possible Implications for US-North Korea Dialogue
Kim’s latest visit comes ahead of a planned Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China next month, which US President Donald Trump is expected to attend. Trump has expressed interest in resuming dialogue with Kim, although it remains unclear whether the two leaders will meet.
The absence of a reported meeting between Kim and Xi during the Dandong visit has raised questions among analysts about the trip’s broader diplomatic significance, including whether it could precede renewed engagement with Washington.
For now, Kim’s public remarks underscore Pyongyang’s intention to preserve its longstanding friendship with Beijing while navigating changing regional alliances and security dynamics in East Asia.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
