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| North Korean Leader Supports Resumption of Nuclear Talks, State Media Say | North Korean Leader Supports Resumption of Nuclear Talks, State Media Say |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| SEOUL, South Korea — The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, used his meeting with the visiting vice president of China this week to stress a “blood” alliance with Beijing, and expressed his support for reconvening six-nation talks on ending the North’s nuclear weapons program, the official news media of the two allies reported on Friday. | SEOUL, South Korea — The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, used his meeting with the visiting vice president of China this week to stress a “blood” alliance with Beijing, and expressed his support for reconvening six-nation talks on ending the North’s nuclear weapons program, the official news media of the two allies reported on Friday. |
| The Chinese vice president, Li Yuanchao, arrived in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, on Thursday to attend ceremonies observing the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, whose battles were halted with an armistice signed on July 27, 1953. China fought for North Korea during the war, which ended in a deadlock against the American-led United Nations forces on South Korea’s side. | The Chinese vice president, Li Yuanchao, arrived in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, on Thursday to attend ceremonies observing the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, whose battles were halted with an armistice signed on July 27, 1953. China fought for North Korea during the war, which ended in a deadlock against the American-led United Nations forces on South Korea’s side. |
| Reporting on Mr. Kim’s Thursday meeting with Mr. Li, the North Korean and Chinese news media said on Friday that the two sides stressed the importance of increasing bilateral ties. But they also highlighted the different priorities China and the North appeared to place on their relations, as the allies tried to mend their strained ties after the North’s recent nuclear test and other provocations angered many Chinese. | Reporting on Mr. Kim’s Thursday meeting with Mr. Li, the North Korean and Chinese news media said on Friday that the two sides stressed the importance of increasing bilateral ties. But they also highlighted the different priorities China and the North appeared to place on their relations, as the allies tried to mend their strained ties after the North’s recent nuclear test and other provocations angered many Chinese. |
| Mr. Li delivered a personal message from President Xi Jinping to Mr. Kim. In his published comments, Mr. Li — the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit North Korea since Mr. Kim took over after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in late 2011 — appeared to nudge North Korea to rein in its confrontational approach. | Mr. Li delivered a personal message from President Xi Jinping to Mr. Kim. In his published comments, Mr. Li — the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit North Korea since Mr. Kim took over after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in late 2011 — appeared to nudge North Korea to rein in its confrontational approach. |
| He reiterated Beijing’s call for denuclearization and dialogue, the state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. Xinhua quoted Mr. Kim as saying that North Korea “supports China’s efforts to restart the six-party talks, and is willing to work together with all sides to maintain the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.” Mr. Kim was also quoted as saying that his country needed “a stable external environment” so it could focus on developing its economy. | He reiterated Beijing’s call for denuclearization and dialogue, the state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. Xinhua quoted Mr. Kim as saying that North Korea “supports China’s efforts to restart the six-party talks, and is willing to work together with all sides to maintain the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.” Mr. Kim was also quoted as saying that his country needed “a stable external environment” so it could focus on developing its economy. |
| Reporting on the same meeting, however, the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency made no direct mention of denuclearization or supporting China’s efforts to reconvene six-nation talks. The absence of such wording was noticeable, even though North Korea has recently made overtures toward the United States and South Korea after the prodding from China. | Reporting on the same meeting, however, the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency made no direct mention of denuclearization or supporting China’s efforts to reconvene six-nation talks. The absence of such wording was noticeable, even though North Korea has recently made overtures toward the United States and South Korea after the prodding from China. |
| Instead, North Korea highlighted its shared history with China during the war. | Instead, North Korea highlighted its shared history with China during the war. |
| Its news media quoted Mr. Kim as saying that the North Korean military and people “will never forget” the sacrifices of Chinese soldiers who fought and died during the Korean War. For his part, Mr. Li affirmed the Chinese Communist Party’s and government’s “unshakable will to ceaselessly strengthen the traditional ties of friendship,” and said he was visiting North Korea to reaffirm bilateral relations “forged in blood” and develop them “for generation after generation,” the Korean news agency reported. | Its news media quoted Mr. Kim as saying that the North Korean military and people “will never forget” the sacrifices of Chinese soldiers who fought and died during the Korean War. For his part, Mr. Li affirmed the Chinese Communist Party’s and government’s “unshakable will to ceaselessly strengthen the traditional ties of friendship,” and said he was visiting North Korea to reaffirm bilateral relations “forged in blood” and develop them “for generation after generation,” the Korean news agency reported. |
| The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, also quoted Mr. Li as saying that the anniversary of the armistice was a time to “recall with deep fondness the outstanding sons and daughters of China and North Korea who heroically sacrificed themselves to defend their homes and countries.” | The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, also quoted Mr. Li as saying that the anniversary of the armistice was a time to “recall with deep fondness the outstanding sons and daughters of China and North Korea who heroically sacrificed themselves to defend their homes and countries.” |
| Such references indicated that China and the North were once again falling back on their old battlefield ties to manage their increasingly complicated relationship through a period of deep anxiety. | Such references indicated that China and the North were once again falling back on their old battlefield ties to manage their increasingly complicated relationship through a period of deep anxiety. |
| China is the most important among the few remaining allies of North Korea. On Wednesday, Mr. Kim met a delegation from Syria, which visited Pyongyang for the armistice anniversary, according to North Korean media. | |
| Syria and North Korea have maintained long-running military and other cooperative ties. Washington has cited Syria as a major client for North Korean missile parts and technologies, a major source of financing for the Pyongyang regime and its nuclear weapons program. | Syria and North Korea have maintained long-running military and other cooperative ties. Washington has cited Syria as a major client for North Korean missile parts and technologies, a major source of financing for the Pyongyang regime and its nuclear weapons program. |
| Yet China has grown increasingly frustrated with the North. In 2009, North Korea walked away from the six-party nuclear disarmament talks that Beijing has been playing host to since 2003, and it now insists on being recognized as a nuclear power. | Yet China has grown increasingly frustrated with the North. In 2009, North Korea walked away from the six-party nuclear disarmament talks that Beijing has been playing host to since 2003, and it now insists on being recognized as a nuclear power. |
| Beijing considers that an affront to its interests in regional stability, but it has little leverage over the North other than the North’s growing dependence on China for aid and trade. After the North conducted its third nuclear test in February, Beijing showed its displeasure by joining the United States in tightening sanctions against the North. Some Chinese banks cut off dealings with North Korea’s Foreign Trade Bank. But China also feared that pressing North Korea too far would make the regime more reckless and further harm regional stability. | Beijing considers that an affront to its interests in regional stability, but it has little leverage over the North other than the North’s growing dependence on China for aid and trade. After the North conducted its third nuclear test in February, Beijing showed its displeasure by joining the United States in tightening sanctions against the North. Some Chinese banks cut off dealings with North Korea’s Foreign Trade Bank. But China also feared that pressing North Korea too far would make the regime more reckless and further harm regional stability. |
| Mr. Li’s visit as vice president of state, rather than as a representative of the Chinese Communist Party, implies that “China will define relations with North Korea as a normal relationship between states, and not as an alliance in blood,” Ji Mingkui, a teacher at the People’s Liberation Army’s National Defense University in Beijing, said in a commentary published on Friday in The Global Times, a popular Chinese tabloid newspaper. | Mr. Li’s visit as vice president of state, rather than as a representative of the Chinese Communist Party, implies that “China will define relations with North Korea as a normal relationship between states, and not as an alliance in blood,” Ji Mingkui, a teacher at the People’s Liberation Army’s National Defense University in Beijing, said in a commentary published on Friday in The Global Times, a popular Chinese tabloid newspaper. |
| The Global Times is not a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, but its commentaries sometimes lay out Chinese views more bluntly than other state-run news media do. | The Global Times is not a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, but its commentaries sometimes lay out Chinese views more bluntly than other state-run news media do. |
| “Establishing normal state relations with North Korea will cast aside the reactiveness that has come with the blood alliance relationship,” the commentary said, accusing North Korea of abusing the treaty of friendship with China. “Cutting the fetters can help advance the denuclearization of the peninsula and the security and stability of the Korean Peninsula.” | “Establishing normal state relations with North Korea will cast aside the reactiveness that has come with the blood alliance relationship,” the commentary said, accusing North Korea of abusing the treaty of friendship with China. “Cutting the fetters can help advance the denuclearization of the peninsula and the security and stability of the Korean Peninsula.” |
Choe Sang-hun reported from Seoul, and Chris Buckley from Hong Kong. | Choe Sang-hun reported from Seoul, and Chris Buckley from Hong Kong. |