One Key Detail Missing From Xi-Kim Summit Has Everyone Talking

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Pyongyang: Official statements issued after talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, a notable omission that analysts say could signal Beijing's growing acceptance of Pyongyang's nuclear status.

Xi concluded his two-day visit to North Korea on Tuesday, saying he had reached an ‘important consensus’ with Kim on strengthening bilateral ties. The two leaders agreed to deepen diplomatic, military and economic cooperation and to place relations between their countries on a stronger footing.

The absence of any reference to denuclearisation drew attention because the White House had said last month that Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump shared the goal of denuclearising North Korea following their meeting in Beijing. Analysts said the omission suggested that the summit may have prioritised strategic cooperation over efforts to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

North Korea reaffirmed its support for China's One-China principle on Taiwan, while Xi called for expanded economic cooperation following the recent reopening of transport links between Beijing and Pyongyang after years of pandemic-related disruptions.

Observers also noted North Korea's rising international profile, bolstered by its growing ties with Russia and a series of diplomatic engagements with foreign leaders. China remains North Korea's largest trading partner and its only treaty ally, with the two countries bound by a 1961 mutual defence agreement.

Pic Credit: AFP