Kim Jong-un turns out to be the cleverest of them all
Alex Lo argues Kim Jong-un has turned North Korea’s weakness into leverage, even as China faces wider containment pressures.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The column says Kim Jong-un used Xi Jinping’s visit to reaffirm China as North Korea’s top backer while keeping new room to maneuver with Russia. It argues Beijing avoided the denuclearization issue and that North Korea’s nuclear status now serves regional stability, in the author’s view.
The article says Kim Jong-un is like a small player in a big game who learned how to use his few cards very well. By keeping China close and also having Russia as another option, he has become harder to push around.
Analysis
The core argument
Alex Lo says Kim Jong-un has been able to turn a weaker national position into bargaining power. In the column’s framing, that matters because China is facing a tighter strategic environment: Japan is remilitarising, Manila is working more closely with Washington, the South Korea-US alliance remains strong, and Taiwan is edging toward secessionism.
What the Xi-Kim meeting showed
The article says the Xi Jinping-Kim Jong-un summit was widely seen as a success, with both sides leaving with what they wanted. During Xi’s visit, Kim described ties with China as “the most important top priority,” which the column reads as a reaffirmation that Beijing remains North Korea’s main backer. At the same time, the writer notes that Kim now also has options with Moscow, so he is not dependent on China alone.
Nuclear issue and regional balance
A central claim is that Xi did not raise nuclear disarmament during the visit. The column suggests some observers read that silence as a tacit acceptance of North Korea as a nuclear power, though the author calls it more an unspoken gesture than a formal policy shift. The piece then draws a comparison with Israel’s nuclear status and argues, controversially, that a nuclear-armed North Korea has been stabilising in Asia-Pacific rather than destabilising.
Bottom line
The column’s message is that Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal and Kim’s diplomatic flexibility give North Korea leverage in a region shaped by great-power rivalry. It argues that even the West now lacks a strong practical case for insisting on denuclearisation.
Key points
- Kim Jong-un is portrayed as turning North Korea’s weakness into strategic leverage.
- The article says Xi Jinping’s visit left both sides with what they wanted.
- Kim reaffirmed China as North Korea’s top priority while also gaining room with Russia.
- Xi reportedly did not raise nuclear disarmament during the visit.
- The column argues North Korea’s nuclear status has become a regional stabiliser, not a liability.
If the relationship with Beijing stays steady, China may keep a working channel to Pyongyang while avoiding open conflict. The article also suggests North Korea’s nuclear status could continue to act as a stabilising factor in the region, in the author’s view.
The same logic could entrench North Korea’s nuclear status and make denuclearisation even harder to pursue. It could also deepen the wider security contest in Asia, where the article already points to remilitarisation, stronger US alliances, and Taiwan tensions.
