Kim Jong Un Makes 'Day Trip' to China, Meets Fourth-Ranked Wang Huning in Dandong

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un made an unannounced surprise visit to China on October 24 and met with Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the fourth-ranking official in the Chinese leadership.

This marks Kim's first visit to China in about a year since September of last year. He reportedly completed a single-day itinerary and returned home the same day without holding a separate summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A South Korean government source said on October 24, "Chairman Kim arrived in Dandong, Liaoning Province, China, via the New Yalu River Bridge."

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency also reported that Chairman Wang Huning received Kim upon his arrival in Dandong at the square of the Memorial Hall of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea and accompanied him throughout his schedule.

Representative Yoon Kun-young of the Democratic Party of Korea, the ruling party's ranking member on the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, initially informed the press that Kim was "confirmed to have met with Premier Li Qiang," China's second-ranking official, but later corrected this, saying, "It has been confirmed that he did not meet Premier Li Qiang, but rather met Chairman Wang Huning."

Explaining the reason for correcting the announcement, Yoon said, "We received an additional briefing (from the National Intelligence Service) that it was understood Premier Li Qiang was originally scheduled to visit, but the plan was changed."

Chairman Kim's visit took place ahead of the October 25 anniversary commemorating China's entry into the Korean War.

The Chinese military has commemorated October 25 as the anniversary of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.

Kim indirectly indicated that the purpose of his visit was to honor the anniversary, stating on October 24, "I visited Dandong this time to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers who supported Joseon (North Korea) with their lives and blood at a critical historical juncture, and to express Joseon's heartfelt gratitude and eternal respect to the heroes of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea."

He also noted that this year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between North Korea and China, emphasizing, "I am grateful for China's long-standing support and assistance for Joseon's (North Korea's) socialist cause, and the prospects for cooperation between the two sides are very broad."

According to Xinhua, Kim visited the Monument to the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea together with Chairman Wang to lay flowers, toured the Memorial Hall of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and presented the museum with a historical photograph bearing his handwritten message.

Afterward, he visited an automobile factory in Dandong with Chairman Wang, inspected the production workshop, and departed Dandong via the New Yalu River Bridge after being seen off by Chairman Wang.

Footage aired on "Xinwen Lianbo," the flagship news program of China Central Television (CCTV), showed North Korean officials attending the meeting, including Kim Yo-jong, department director of the Workers' Party of Korea; Choe Son-hui, foreign minister; and Jo Yong-won, secretary of the Workers' Party.

From the Chinese side, officials including Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and foreign minister, and Liu Haixing, head of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party, were present.

Chairman Kim's trip to China is his first in one year and one month since visiting Beijing in September of last year to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (Victory Day), and marks his sixth visit since taking power.

Unless a closed-door meeting with President Xi took place during this trip, this marks the first time Chairman Kim has visited China and returned home without meeting President Xi.

This appears to reflect that the primary objective of the visit was expanding economic cooperation following the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge, rather than a political agenda.

The fact that President Xi is preparing for a major political event next week—the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (20th Central Committee's 5th Plenum)—may have also been taken into account.

The New Yalu River Bridge, used as Kim's travel route, is a four-lane, 3,026-meter-long bridge connecting Dandong—the primary hub for North Korea-China trade—and Sinuiju in North Pyongan Province.

Official traffic had been delayed due to inadequate connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side, but the bridge officially opened 12 years after its completion alongside the restoration of bilateral ties.

This is the first time Chairman Kim's on-site inspection of the area has been reported.

With state media from both North Korea and China emphasizing "economic connectivity" and "mutual benefits" regarding the significance of the bridge's opening, observers anticipate that economic and trade exchanges between the two countries will gain momentum.

Analysts suggest that by staging Chairman Kim personally traveling to China via the New Yalu River Bridge around a traditional bilateral anniversary, the two nations intended to reaffirm their blood-allied relationship strengthened into a "strategic relationship."

Kim's visit is also drawing attention because it took place as U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a North Korea-U.S. summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Kim previously visited China ahead of the first and second North Korea-U.S. summits in 2018 to 2019 to coordinate stances and secure diplomatic backing.

Some also interpret the trip as Kim demonstrating his health and vigor after rumors of his death recently circulated on foreign social media.

North Korea dismissed the death rumors by sequentially releasing footage on October 20 and on October 24 showing Kim visiting an exhibition hall in the light industry sector and guiding a large-scale military sector event.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.