Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping walk and converse along a beach in a manner reminiscent of the inter-Korean summit at Panmunjeom

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese and President Xi Jinping take a walk along a beach in Dalian, Liaoning Province on May 8. The details of their meeting were published by China’s Xinhua News on the same day. (Xinhua/Yonhap News)

Kim and Xi reconfirm “the ties of blood” that “bind the two countries”

During the second unannounced meeting been North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which took place a little over 40 days after their first meeting at the end of March, the two leaders underlined the rapid restoration of their friendly ties.

On May 7, the first day of Kim’s visit to Dalian, in China’s Liaoning Province, the two leaders held a summit and a banquet during which they reconfirmed “the ties of blood that bind our two countries.” On the second day, they continued their conversation in a second meeting. On the morning of May 8, Kim and Xi went for a walk on the beach at Bangchuidao Island, the location of their resort where they were staying, and “opened their hearts in a warm conversation,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The images of the walk on the beach reported by China’s Xinhua News bring to mind Kim’s walk with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the pedestrian bridge at Panmunjeom without any attendants during the inter-Korean summit on Apr. 27.

“After Comrade Kim Jong-un and Comrade Xi Jinping enjoyed a skillfully executed exhibition of tea culture and had an important conversation, they had lunch together at a building in the resort. “There was an abundant display of the most genuine and fervent emotions of friendship, respect and admiration during this luncheon, which deepened the special intimacy and camaraderie of the leaders of our two parties and our two nations,” the KCNA reported.

A ceremony held at Dalian Airport prior to Kim’s return to Pyongyang that afternoon was attended by Wang Huning, a member of the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) Politburo, and Song Tao, head of the CPC’s International Liaison Department. Before departing, Kim gave Xi a letter expressing his gratitude.

Just as with Kim’s previous visit to China in March, this visit was veiled in utter secrecy until it was officially announced by state-controlled media in both countries. Not only did Kim’s visit occur abruptly, defying many people’s expectations, but the Chinese government’s efforts to keep a lid on the news were effective.

Japan’s NHK photographed an airplane marked “Air Koryo” on May 8, shortly before the arrival of what appeared to be North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s personal jet, Chammae-1. (NHK)

Major traffic arteries in Dalian (the city in Liaoning Province that Kim visited) were put on lockdown on May 6, prompting numerous predictions that an important figure was about to visit. The traffic controls mostly applied to roads around Bangchuidao Island and roads connecting the island with the airport. But until this point, the prevailing view was that Chinese President Xi Jinping was likely to visit. This was related to the possibility of the Type 001A, China’s second aircraft carrier that is currently at the port of Dalian, embarking on its first sea trial.

Following reports that a North Korean aircraft had been sighted at Dalian Airport on May 7, the eyes of the world focused on Dalian. Since there are no regular flights between Dalian and North Korea, even airport workers were taken aback by the arrival of a North Korean airplane. But locals who said they had spotted a North Korean aircraft were not sure whether this was Kim Jong-un’s personal jet or whether it was a passenger plane from the private sector.

While the aviation controls around Dalian continued until the morning of May 8, the question of who was visiting remained unanswered. Even when Japan’s NHK reported after 3 pm that Kim’s personal jet Chammae-1, which says “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” on the side, had taken off from Dalian Airport, there was no telling whether or not Kim was actually aboard. Even a couple of hours later, when the aircraft had presumably entered North Korean airspace, China’s state media had not released any reports about the visit.

The fact that Kim had visited China was not officially recognized until the North Korea-China summit was reported as the leading story on the Xinwen Lianbo news program on China Central Television (CCTV) at 7 pm on May 8. The pattern here is similar to CCTV confirming the fact that Kim had visited China after the train he was on crossed the border from Dandong to Sinuiju at the end of March.

By Kim Oi-hyun, Beijing correspondent

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