Less than a month, the North Korean foreign minister once again visited China. Although this time it was an independent visit, she carried an important task. The grand event that is about to be held in North Korea needs China's support.

Cui Shanji arrived in Beijing

Recently, North Korean Foreign Minister Cui Shanji successfully arrived in Beijing and met with Wang Yi. This was her first independent visit to China since taking office as foreign minister. However, less than a month ago, she had just accompanied North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to attend the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Visiting China twice within a month, such a frequent schedule has attracted widespread attention.

According to information released by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers of China and North Korea met in Beijing and reached a consensus on strengthening cooperation. Although neither Wang Yi nor Cui Shanji mentioned any third country other than China and North Korea, one sentence from the North Korean foreign minister made foreign media uneasy. Cui Shanji stated that North Korea hopes to deepen cooperation with China and jointly oppose "hegemonism."

Foreign media seized upon this wording, claiming it was an implicit criticism of the United States, and said that Cui Shanji's visit to China was likely to discuss how to "deal with the United States" together with China. For these baseless comments from foreign media, people have long been accustomed to them. China has repeatedly emphasized that the purpose of its cooperation with any country is not to target a third country.

China-North Korea Foreign Ministers Meeting

However, there are many scholars who have made guesses about the purpose of Cui Shanji's visit to China. Among them, some analysts believe that Cui Shanji's trip actually carries an important mission, which is to invite China to attend the large-scale military parade that North Korea will soon hold. October 10th is the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of North Korea, and North Korea will hold an unprecedentedly large military parade.

It is generally believed that the timing of Cui Shanji's visit to China is very special. During Kim Jong-un's visit to China in early September, China gave him the highest level of hospitality. When Kim Jong-un mentioned the special significance of the "80th anniversary celebration" during the talks, China clearly responded that it would provide active support.

North Korean Military Parade

Korean intelligence agencies observed through satellite images that since July, thousands of training groups have appeared near the Pyongyang Square, and various equipment vehicles have frequently moved. It is reported that Pyongyang has completed three drills for clearing the parade route. From the number of participants and the military equipment involved, this may be the largest military parade in recent years in North Korea.

According to the principle of diplomatic reciprocity, North Korea naturally expects China to reciprocate and send a high-level delegation at this important moment. Therefore, the level of the Chinese delegation attending the event has become the biggest mystery. However, due to the tight schedule in October, it is more likely that China will send a high-level delegation.

Lee Jae-myung

The Lee Jae-myung government is particularly concerned about what level of delegation China and Russia will send to North Korea. South Korean media has continuously reported on related topics for several days. Although China has not yet made a clear statement, news has already come from Russia, where Russian media cited sources from the Kremlin confirming that Russia's Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Medvedev, will lead a delegation to attend.

The military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party of North Korea will serve as an important window for observing the future direction of the Korean Peninsula. Russia's willingness to participate is relatively clear, while China's final decision will require careful consideration of multiple factors. For North Korea, the level of the Chinese delegation attending the parade will directly affect its voice on the international stage. Within less than a month after Kim Jong-un's visit to China, the North Korean side once again sent a senior official to Beijing, highlighting the urgency of Pyongyang's diplomacy.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7555397833520710196/

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