Beijing is buzzing. Pyongyang is braced. And in Whitehall, the Foreign Office is quietly parsing the signals. Xi Jinping’s first trip to North Korea in 14 years is being framed as a celebration of “friendship”. But the game is deeper than that. The visit, scheduled for later this week, comes at a pivotal moment. Kim Jong-un’s nuclear ambitions remain unresolved. The US-China trade war is escalating. And the UK, post-Brexit, is scrambling for diplomatic relevance.
Let’s cut through the official language. Xi is not going to Pyongyang for the kimchi. He’s going to reset the relationship after years of frost. China has been UN sanctions’ enforcer, but Beijing’s patience with Washington’s maximalist demands is wearing thin. The visit signals a shift: China is stepping back into the role of North Korea’s patron. For Kim, it’s a lifeline. For Trump, it’s a poke in the eye.
The Foreign Office is watching closely. Sources tell me they’re particularly focused on the economic dimension. North Korea’s coal exports have been a loophole. If Xi offers a broader economic lifeline, sanctions regime could crumble. That’s a nightmare for the non-proliferation crowd. But there’s also an opportunity: the UK could leverage its relationship with China to nudge Pyongyang towards dialogue. The PM’s team is weighing options. A quiet diplomatic push, perhaps via the UN Security Council.
Backbench MPs are restless. Labour’s left is suspicious of any engagement with an authoritarian regime. The Tory right smells an opportunity to bash Beijing. The Foreign Secretary is due to brief the House next week. Expect fireworks.
The game within the game: Xi’s visit is also about messaging to Washington. By embracing Kim, Xi sends a signal that China will not be dictated to. That plays well at home. But it risks undermining the carefully calibrated pressure that has kept North Korea’s programme in check.
What’s the takeaway for Westminster? The visit is a reminder that global power dynamics are shifting. The UK, caught between the US and China, needs a clear strategy. So far, the response has been cautious. But the clock is ticking. The real question: is Xi a friend or a lever? In politics, the answer is usually both.
