Xi meets Kim: China reaffirms support for North Korea’s nukes
China has been supporting the North Korean nuclear program all along because that program gives it leverage over Washington.
China has been supporting the North Korean nuclear program all along because that program gives it leverage over Washington. This report comes from T
Read Full Story at The Hill →Why This Matters
The latest high-level meeting between Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un underscores a critical shift in geopolitical calculus: Beijing’s unwavering backing for Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions is no longer a strategic ambiguity but an overt policy. This alignment signals China’s intent to counterbalance U.S. influence in East Asia by maintaining a nuclear-armed North Korea as a permanent wildcard in regional security equations.
Background Context
Since the Korean War, China has treated North Korea as a buffer state, but its support for the regime’s nuclear program only intensified after the collapse of the Six-Party Talks in 2009. Beijing’s calculus has evolved from tacit tolerance to active enablement, particularly as U.S. military alliances in the Pacific—such as AUKUS and the Quad—have expanded. Meanwhile, North Korea’s nuclear advancements have outpaced international sanctions, making it a fait accompli that China now leverages as a bargaining chip in its broader rivalry with the West.
What Happens Next
Expect China to double down on diplomatic shielding for North Korea at the UN, likely vetoing new sanctions even as Pyongyang escalates missile tests. The question now is whether Washington will respond with targeted secondary sanctions on Chinese entities aiding North Korea’s weapons programs, or if it will prioritize stabilizing relations with Beijing to avoid further escalation. Watch for signals in upcoming U.S.-China trade talks and North Korea’s next provocation cycle.
Bigger Picture
This alliance reflects a broader fragmentation of global nuclear norms, where non-proliferation regimes are increasingly sidelined in favor of regional power plays. As China and Russia collaborate to erode U.S.-led security frameworks, the North Korean nuclear issue has become a litmus test for whether multilateral institutions can adapt—or if the world is entering an era where nuclear deterrence is normalized as a tool of statecraft rather than a last resort.
