The North Korean authorities recently issued a directive through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare concrete proposals to promote closer cooperation with China, Daily NK has learned.
On Wednesday, a source inside North Korea told Daily NK that “on Apr. 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a party directive to the ministry’s various departments, field units in China and departments related to the Cabinet to make this year, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of DPRK-China relations, a turning point in strengthening cooperation with China in various fields.”
The orders called on officials to come up with plans to boost economic, trade, educational and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
The directive instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with the Ministry of External Economic Relations to review trade agreements and joint economic projects with China and seek new opportunities for cooperation.
North Korea appears to be seeking to develop its own economy by stabilizing bilateral trade with China, particularly the export of natural resources and the import of food, energy, medicine, and consumer goods. This would make the two countries’ economies more interdependent, the source explained.
Plans include efforts to expand educational and cultural relations
On the educational and cultural front, there are also plans to hold cultural events aimed at cultivating future generations and promoting Sino-Korean friendship.
To this end, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given its offices in China and other ministry-affiliated departments until April 10 to develop plans for language training, academic exchanges, cultural exchanges and other similar programs.
“The foreign ministry said that ‘the party and the state expect that exchanges and cooperation in various fields can build on the historical and cultural solidarity between North Korea and China and serve to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries and have a positive impact on the development of North Korean-Chinese relations. [As a result] the ministry has asked staff in relevant departments to do their utmost in their roles and responsibilities [related to the initiative].”
These developments appear to be directly related to a recent delegation to China led by Kim Song Nam, director of the International Department and a veteran of Chinese affairs. Kim’s visit was seen as a party-level overture to restore and strengthen DPRK-China relations in time for the 75th anniversary, despite the weakening of Sino-North Korean relations as North Korea has moved closer to Russia.
According to Rodong Sinmun and other media outlets, Kim Song Nam led a delegation to China on Mar. 23 and met with several high-ranking Chinese officials, including Wang Hu Ning (chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference), Liu Jianchao (head of the CCP’s International Department) and Wang Yi (director of the Foreign Affairs Commission Office of the CCP Central Committee). The two sides discussed the further development of relations between the DPRK and the People’s Republic of China and vowed to cooperate in the international arena.
Translated by Rose Adams. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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