The Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance Treaty signed between China and North Korea in 1961 remains in force 65 years later. The treaty stipulates that in the event of an armed attack on one party, the other shall provide military assistance, and it stands as China's sole formal military alliance.
The three-day visit to Beijing this week by North Korean Prime Minister Pak Thae Song was part of celebrations marking the treaty's 65th anniversary. The visit reaffirmed the continuity of the 'blood-sealed' alliance signed on July 11, 1961, by then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and North Korean leader Kim Il Sung.
Stability and buffer zone for China
For Beijing, North Korea's stability is more important than the potential refugee influx from a collapse or the prospect of a pro-U.S. unified Korean Peninsula. China wants the Pyongyang regime to survive as a buffer along its 1,400-kilometer border, but it also seeks to avoid a regional war.
This dual approach has led China to support United Nations sanctions at times while opposing steps that could destabilize the regime. As North Korea's largest trading partner, China also continues to provide Pyongyang with an economic lifeline.
Pyongyang's Russia card and China's discomfort
North Korea, for its part, is expanding its room for maneuver by avoiding total dependence on China. The comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed with Russia in 2024, which includes a mutual defense clause, has strengthened Pyongyang's hand.
While Russia provides North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with military technology, energy resources and access to foreign currency, this development is both beneficial and troubling for China. The deepening military ties on the Moscow-Pyongyang axis could embolden Kim's nuclear ambitions and increase instability in Northeast Asia, which Beijing considers its backyard.
U.S. regional presence strengthens the alliance
The U.S. deepening military cooperation with South Korea and Japan, joint exercises and intelligence sharing are bringing Beijing and Pyongyang closer together through a shared perception of threat. Tokyo's increased defense spending and the presence of tens of thousands of U.S. troops in South Korea are viewed by China as an 'encirclement effort'.
North Korea also views these moves as war preparations. This environment pushes China to present a strong common front with North Korea.
Future: A balance shaped by necessities
The alliance is not expected to remain unchanged in the period ahead. As North Korea grows more self-confident by deepening ties with Russia, China is gaining global strength but stands to lose more from instability on the Korean Peninsula.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's omission of the nuclear issue during his latest Pyongyang visit indicates that Beijing is softening its criticism to avoid pushing Kim Jong Un further toward Russia. While China stands by North Korea against Western hegemony, it must also refrain from actions that completely isolate Pyongyang from the international community. This delicate balance will determine the alliance's future.
