Xi Jinping Visits North Korea Without Mentioning Denuclearization; Experts Say China Prioritizes Stability
Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his visit to North Korea, with media from both countries emphasizing greater cooperation but not mentioning North Korea's nuclear program. Experts analyze that China is shifting its priorities to 'stability first, denuclearization second.' This is because Beijing reportedly believes that forcibly pushing for denuclearization is impractical and could increase regional risks, given that nuclear capability has become part of the Pyongyang regime's legitimacy and security.
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- 📰 Published: June 10, 2026 at 11:29
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(CNA, Taipei, 10th) Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his visit to North Korea yesterday. During this trip, both Chinese and North Korean media reports emphasized that the two sides would jointly promote greater cooperation, without mentioning North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Deutsche Welle quoted an analysis by a Chinese expert stating that China is gradually adopting a new set of priorities: first stability, then denuclearization.
The report points out that a noteworthy aspect of the official media reports from China and North Korea is the complete lack of mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. This is different from Xi Jinping's 2019 visit to North Korea. At that time, Chinese media reported that Xi stated Beijing was willing to play a constructive role on the issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
After the Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing last month, the White House claimed that both sides confirmed their common goal of North Korea's denuclearization. However, the Chinese side only stated that the two had consulted on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula.
On the eve of Xi Jinping's recent visit to North Korea, North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un inspected a newly operational nuclear materials factory and vowed to advance the country's nuclear capabilities 'exponentially.' His sister, Kim Yo Jong, described the nuclear state line as an 'absolutely non-negotiable bottom line.'
On the 9th, when asked at a press conference if China had de facto recognized North Korea's 'status as a nuclear-armed state,' South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Park Il stated that denuclearization is a consistently held goal of the international community, and the Chinese side has also reiterated that its position on the Korean Peninsula issue remains unchanged.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated at a regular press conference this week that China's position and policy on the peninsula issue maintain continuity and stability. Yonhap News Agency reported that the South Korean government is paying attention to the fact that while China emphasizes its existing position remains unchanged, it has recently used the term 'denuclearization' less frequently in its external communications.
Deutsche Welle pointed to an analysis article by Zheng Jiyong, dean of the Institute of Country and Regional Studies at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, published by the Brookings Institution in April this year. It states that given North Korea's nuclear capabilities have increasingly become part of the Pyongyang regime's legitimacy and national security, China is gradually adopting a new set of priorities: first stability, and then denuclearization.
In his analysis, Zheng Jiyong wrote that this is not equivalent to recognizing North Korea as a legitimate nuclear-armed state, but rather that China believes that rigidly pushing a denuclearization-first stance is not practical and could endanger regional security. He stated that, in Beijing's view, over-emphasizing denuclearization at the current stage would not only intensify Pyongyang's resistance but also increase the risk of escalating conflict. (Edited by: Chu Chien-ling / Chen Kai-yu) 1150610
The report points out that a noteworthy aspect of the official media reports from China and North Korea is the complete lack of mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. This is different from Xi Jinping's 2019 visit to North Korea. At that time, Chinese media reported that Xi stated Beijing was willing to play a constructive role on the issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
After the Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing last month, the White House claimed that both sides confirmed their common goal of North Korea's denuclearization. However, the Chinese side only stated that the two had consulted on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula.
On the eve of Xi Jinping's recent visit to North Korea, North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un inspected a newly operational nuclear materials factory and vowed to advance the country's nuclear capabilities 'exponentially.' His sister, Kim Yo Jong, described the nuclear state line as an 'absolutely non-negotiable bottom line.'
On the 9th, when asked at a press conference if China had de facto recognized North Korea's 'status as a nuclear-armed state,' South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Park Il stated that denuclearization is a consistently held goal of the international community, and the Chinese side has also reiterated that its position on the Korean Peninsula issue remains unchanged.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated at a regular press conference this week that China's position and policy on the peninsula issue maintain continuity and stability. Yonhap News Agency reported that the South Korean government is paying attention to the fact that while China emphasizes its existing position remains unchanged, it has recently used the term 'denuclearization' less frequently in its external communications.
Deutsche Welle pointed to an analysis article by Zheng Jiyong, dean of the Institute of Country and Regional Studies at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, published by the Brookings Institution in April this year. It states that given North Korea's nuclear capabilities have increasingly become part of the Pyongyang regime's legitimacy and national security, China is gradually adopting a new set of priorities: first stability, and then denuclearization.
In his analysis, Zheng Jiyong wrote that this is not equivalent to recognizing North Korea as a legitimate nuclear-armed state, but rather that China believes that rigidly pushing a denuclearization-first stance is not practical and could endanger regional security. He stated that, in Beijing's view, over-emphasizing denuclearization at the current stage would not only intensify Pyongyang's resistance but also increase the risk of escalating conflict. (Edited by: Chu Chien-ling / Chen Kai-yu) 1150610
FAQ
習近平最近訪問北韓的行程中，與過去相比最顯著的不同是什麼？
根據報導，與2019年的訪問不同，習近平此次訪問北韓，中國與北韓的官方媒體報導中完全未提及北韓的核武計畫。
專家如何解讀中國對北韓政策的轉變？
德國之聲引述專家分析稱，中國正逐漸採取新的優先次序，將「穩定」置於「無核化」之上。這是因為北京認為，鑑於核能力已成為平壤政權合法性及安全的一部分，強硬推行去核並不實際，可能危及地區安全。
對於中國態度的轉變，韓國政府的立場是什麼？
韓國外交部發言人表示，無核化是國際社會一貫的目標，並相信中方在朝鮮半島問題上的立場沒有改變。但韓國政府也注意到中方近期較少使用「無核化」的表述。
北韓近期在核武議題上有何舉動？
在習近平到訪前，北韓領導人金正恩視察了新的核材料工廠，誓言要「指數級」推進核武能力，其胞妹金與正更稱核武國家路線是「絕對不可退讓的底線」。
中國官方如何回應關於其對朝政策變化的問題？
中國外交部發言人林劍表示，中方在半島問題上的立場和政策保持連續性與穩定性，重申其既有立場不變。