Chairman Kim Jong-il's Unofficial Visit to China
ROK Ministry of Unification
2004-05-10
1. Outline
o Chairman Kim Jong-il paid an unofficial visit to China from April 19 to 21 at the invitation of Chinese President and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hu Jintao (April 22, Korea Central Broadcasting, Pyongyang Broadcasting Station, Korea Central Television)
- His entourage included Chief of Staff Kim Young-chun, Prime Minister Pak Bong-ju, Assistant Chairman of the Defense Commission Yeon Hyeong-muk and First Assistant Foreign Minister Kang Seok-ju.
o Chairman Kim met and held discussions with General Secretary Hu Jintao, Chairman Jiang Zemin of the CPC Central Military Commission and other top leaders of China, emphasizing the two countries' desire to strengthen their mutual friendship.
ˇŘ He toured Tianjin City on his return trip home.
o His visit is ˇ°expected to further strengthen and develop traditional North Korea-China friendship and will be recorded as a valuable event in the history of North Korea-China relations.ˇ±
ˇŘ On April 21, Pak Bong-ju and Yeon Hyeong-muk visited the region
of Han Chun-huh in Fangsangu. (April 23, Korea Central Broadcasting)
2. Report Summary
o North Korea-China Relations
- The heads of both states shared the same views on the development of bilateral relations and friendship between the two political parties.
- There were discussions and agreements on global issues of great concern and interest to both countries.
- Both governments agreed on the need to exchange further visits by high-ranking officials, intensify cooperation in each of the areas discussed, and enhance economic and trade ties.
- Chairman Kim Jong-il invited General Secretary Hu Jintao to visit North Korea at his convenience and, he accepted with pleasure.
o North Korean Nuclear Issue
- The leaders of both countries exchanged in-depth views on peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue.
- Chairman Kim Jong-il expressed his commitment to demonstrate perseverance and flexibility and to actively participate in and contribute to the six-party talks so that real progress could be achieved through the talks.
- General Secretary Hu Jintao replied that North Korea's reasonable concerns must naturally be emphasized and addressed.
o Economic Cooperation
- Chairman Kim Jong-il stated that both countries should learn from each other and exchange accumulated know-how in such areas as industrial and urban development.
- China provided free aid to assist North Korea's efforts to build its economy.
3. Analysis
o Chairman Kim Jong-il's recent visit to China:
- was the first of its kind since the launching of China's new government;
- came at a time when North Korea is still suffering from internal economic turmoil even after the measures implemented on July 1 to improve the management of its economy; and
- immediately followed such external events as U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to Korea, China and Japan and the general elections in Korea.
o The reports on the outcome of his visit to China were generally characterized by:
- the stressing of friendly relations between North Korea and China, great appreciation of China's economic development as well as emphasizing the need for bilateral exchanges.
- highlighting his visit as being mostly filled with meetings and discussions with China's top leaders and reaffirming North Korea's traditional allegiance to China under a new leadership, in particular.
ˇŘ During an earlier visit to China in January 2001 that lasted 6 days and 5 nights, he stayed in Shanghai for 4 days. His schedule was devoted more to touring the special economic districts of Shanghai than to political meetings, and the achievements of China's economic reforms and open-door policy were reported in depth.
o On the Economy
- Greatly appreciated China's economic development and stressed the need for mutual exchange.
- In view of the fact that Chairman Kim Jong-il personally witnessed China's economic reform and development through his three visits to China since 2000, North Korea may partially imitate the Chinese model of reform and openness in the future.
o On External Relations
- His commitment to ˇ°demonstrating perseverance and flexibility and actively participating in and contributing to the six-party talks so that real progress can be achievedˇ±
- implies the possibility of North Korea changing its position in working-level talks or the third round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear issue.
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