China, N. Korea mark 75th anniversary of ties with little fanfare

In this file photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency on Sunday, visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wave from an open top limousine as they travel along a street in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 20, 2019. (Xinhua via AP)

China and North Korea marked their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations Sunday with no publicly reported major events, in contrast to earlier pledges from both leaders to celebrate the milestone with displays of camaraderie in the designated "Year of Friendship."

In their New Year messages, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to organize activities throughout the "Year of Friendship" and deepen cooperation across various sectors, including politics, economy and culture.

In April, the two countries unveiled a special emblem to commemorate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations which falls on Oct. 6.

However, by Monday, North Korean media coverage of the 75th anniversary was limited to reports of congratulatory messages exchanged between Kim and Xi, as well as between top diplomats Sunday, despite the possibility of a celebratory event after China’s week-long National Day holiday, which ends Monday.

This year’s congratulatory messages from Kim and Xi were notably shorter and more subdued than their more elaborate exchanges for the 70th anniversary in 2019. In 2019, Kim referred to Xi as the "respected comrade general secretary," but this year, the honorific description was dropped, with both sides toning down language that once highlighted their special relationship.

In his message Sunday, Kim stated, "Continuing to uphold and advance DPRK-PRC friendship is in the fundamental interest of both countries," according to North Korea's state media.

The DPRK and PRC refer to the official names of North Korea and China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China, respectively.

Kim also pledged that the "Party and government will continue to work toward strengthening and developing DPRK-PRC relations in line with the demands of the new era."

China's Foreign Ministry said Sunday that Xi Jinping expressed a similar sentiment, stating, "In the new era and under new circumstances, China is willing to work with the DPRK to take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to strengthen strategic communication and coordination, deepen friendly exchanges and cooperation, and write a new chapter in China-DPRK traditional friendship."

Despite the cordial messages exchanged by the leaders, the atmosphere on the ground remained frigid.

Photos taken by South Korean media Sunday revealed a stark contrast at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing. The bulletin board, once filled with images of Kim and Xi together when the year of friendship was declared earlier this year, now displayed only photos of Kim's on-site inspections, with no trace of their previously highlighted relationship.

Footage from South Korean broadcaster YTN on Sunday also disclosed that the sign reading "China-DPRK Yalu River Bridge," once displayed atop the New Yalu River Bridge's main pillar, was recently removed, further dimming its symbolic place in the bilateral friendship. The bridge connecting Sinuiju and Dandong was completed in 2014 but remains unopened nearly a decade later.

Signs of strained ties between China and North Korea have become increasingly evident this year, highlighted by a lack of high-level exchanges — a sharp contrast to North Korea's growing alignment with Russia.

After China’s top legislator, Zhao Leji, led a delegation to the "Year of Friendship" opening ceremony in April, there have been no further visits by senior officials from either side.

Other signs of the cooling relationship include the removal of a monument in Dalian, Liaoning Province, earlier this year, which commemorated the 2018 meeting between Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping and featured their symbolic footprints.

In a further shift, North Korea's state-run media transitioned its broadcasts from Chinese satellites to Russian ones in June. The absence of Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun from North Korea’s 76th founding anniversary celebrations in September, officially explained as a vacation, also drew attention.

In contrast, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, who held three person-to-person meetings with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi between May and September, stated Monday during his opening remarks at South Korea's parliamentary audit that Seoul would continue efforts to advance its bilateral relations with Beijing.

"We aim to pursue a summit between the two countries' leaders during multilateral meetings in the second half of the year," Cho told lawmakers. "We will continue to promote strategic communication at various levels, including reciprocal visits by foreign ministers and through 1.5-track consultation platforms such as the Korea-China Forum for the Future."

By Ji Da-gyum(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)