Full Breakdown
Xi and North Korean Premier Pak Discuss Faster Implementation of 2026 Agreements
7/10/2026, 10:56:05 PM
Core Meeting in Beijing
On July 10, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with North Korea’s Premier Pak Thae Song in Beijing, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The three-day visit coincided with an event marking the 65th anniversary of the 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, China’s only active mutual-defence pact with Pyongyang. Xi urged both sides to “maintain strategic resolve” and accelerate the execution of the consensus reached during Xi’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2026, when the two leaders agreed to expand political, economic and cultural cooperation.
Background and Recent Diplomatic Warmth
The 1961 treaty, signed on July 11, 1961, has underpinned the bilateral relationship for decades. After COVID-19 halted exchanges, China worked to draw Pyongyang back into its orbit, while North Korea deepened ties with Russia by supplying troops and weapons for the war in Ukraine. Relations have noticeably improved since late 2025, with the resumption of passenger-train services and direct flights between Beijing and Pyongyang. Analysts note, however, that North Korea’s growing alignment with Moscow may limit how far it is willing to move toward China.
Key Figures
- Xi Jinping – President of the People’s Republic of China, seeking to reinforce the strategic partnership with North Korea.
- Pak Thae Song – North Korean Premier since December 2024, a longtime member of Kim Jong Un’s inner circle who previously oversaw propaganda, industrial, science and education policies. Pak, 70, has made few foreign trips, the most recent being to Moscow in October 2019 as head of the Supreme People’s Assembly.
Official Statements & Responses
Xi told Pak that “the international situation is intertwined with changes and turmoil” and called for both nations to “enhance strategic confidence” while safeguarding their sovereignty, security and development interests. He emphasized that the bilateral relationship must “keep pace with the time” and that the agreements reached in Pyongyang should be implemented swiftly.
Verbatim Quotes
- “At present, the international situation is intertwined with changes and turmoil. China and North Korea should maintain strategic resolve and enhance strategic confidence,” — Xi Jinping, CCTV interview
- “The two countries should firmly safeguard their respective sovereignty, security and development interests, Xi told Pak.” — Xi Jinping, CCTV interview
- “WARMING TIES Signed on July 11, 1961, the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance remains China's only active mutual defence pact.” — Reuters report
