The foreign ministers of North Korea and China agreed Sunday in Beijing to strengthen bilateral relations and jointly oppose hegemonism and unilateralism, a pointed reference to their shared tensions with the United States.

The meeting came three weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first summit in more than six years, pledging closer cooperation. Both leaders, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, had earlier attended a massive military parade in Beijing marking the end of World War II, signaling a show of potential three-way unity against Washington.

In talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, North Korea’s Choe Son Hui reiterated Kim’s stance that advancing ties with China is Pyongyang’s “unwavering position,” according to the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Wang responded that Beijing is committed to consolidating relations, boosting strategic communications and exchanges.

China’s Xinhua News Agency quoted Wang as saying Beijing opposes “all forms of hegemonism” and is ready to work with North Korea on regional and global issues. Choe, for her part, expressed willingness to “closely cooperate with China in multilateral affairs, jointly resist unilateralism and power politics, and promote a fairer world order.”

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Analysts say the statements reflect both countries’ ongoing confrontations with Washington — Beijing over strategic competition and Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons program. KCNA reported that Choe and Wang reached “complete consensus” on regional and international issues but gave no details.

Kim’s participation in the Beijing parade marked his first appearance at a major multilateral event in his 14-year rule. While Pyongyang has in recent years leaned on Moscow by supplying troops and munitions for the Ukraine war, experts note Kim also seeks to reinforce ties with China, North Korea’s top trading partner and aid benefactor, as he prepares for shifting dynamics when the war eventually ends.

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Attention is now on the level of delegation China may send to Pyongyang for the 80th founding anniversary of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party next month, when the North is expected to stage a military parade showcasing new weapons aimed at the U.S. and its allies.

Source: Agency