Fireworks display, official tribute to the “founders of the Nation” (Kim Jong-un’s grandfather and father) but no parade or military parade. North Korea celebrates 76 years since its founding this Monday, with little evidence of power.
But the traditional messages of congratulations from Pyongyang’s historical friends allow us to grasp the relationship between North Korea and its historical friends. And to be aware that the North Korean regime now has more relations with Moscow than with Beijing.
Xi Jinping’s message behind it
Among the congratulatory messages sent to Kim Jong-un, three stand out in particular from the others. Those of Pyongyang’s three historic allies: Beijing, Moscow and Cuba.
In these messages, of which, traditionally, each word is measured and interpreted by the recipient as well as Western observers, the one sent by the Chinese president is the most which was investigated. And indeed, the message sent by Xi Jinping is a good way to evaluate relations between Beijing and Pyongyang.
Far from indicating that ties between the two alliances are in good shape, this congratulatory letter instead confirms the cooling of relations between the two countries. Cooling that is different from the continuous warming by Moscow. Because if Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin met twice in less than a year, Xi Jinping only sent two congratulatory messages in the same period. One for the New Year and the other, this September 9, for the anniversary of the founding of North Korea. And the last meeting between the dictator of North Korea and the president of China is now going back to 2019!
However, as Radio Free Asia analyzes, “Xi Jinping’s final message to Kim contains fewer references to the relationship between their two countries” than the one that it was sent in 2023 for the same anniversary. Last year, Xi Jinping, for example, emphasized the “importance” of meetings between the two leaders. He also emphasized that it is China’s “unwavering” will to “preserve, promote and develop the tradition of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, regardless of the evolution of the inter- national and regional”.
There is none of this in this year’s announcement, even though the two countries will celebrate, on October 6, 76 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. “We will develop strategic dialogue and strengthen cooperation with the North to consolidate and develop friendly ties between the two,” Xi Jinping said simply in his letter, according to a North Korean press official , KCNA.
Putin is showing his confidence in strengthening ties
This more neutral tone contrasts with the more enthusiastic one displayed by Vladimir Putin. In his message, which was sent on September 7, the Russian president expressed his confidence in strengthening the ties between the two countries. “I am convinced that, through our joint efforts, we will continue to strengthen the work a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea “, writes the president of Russia, emphasizing the “high level” of relations between Moscow and Pyongyang.
And to estimate that the two countries will “continue to gradually strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea” because this corresponds to the basic interests of our people and is a part of the continuation of the policy that aims to ensure security and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the Northeast Asian region in general. »
Enough to flatter Kim Jong-un’s ego when he was apparently unhappy last May to see Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul make alarming strides to reconcile their geopolitical differences. reduce and relaunch the economic cooperation. Even though Pyongyang wanted to strengthen trilateral solidarity with Beijing and Moscow.
Cuba tries to escape from purgatory
Although Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also congratulated Kim Jong-un, the relationship between the two countries is going through a difficult time. And for good reason, Pyongyang cannot digest that Havana established diplomatic relations with Seoul in February. In fact, since that date the North Korean media has published almost no information related to Cuba.
So it is not surprising that Miguel Díaz-Canel simply affirms, in his letter, that Cuba “is of great importance to its relationship with North Korea which is based on fraternal and historical ties of respect and mutual support”.
2024-09-09 12:50:44
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