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China Reasserts Itself, to Contain North Korea’s Tilt Toward Russia

On a rare visit to North Korea, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, projected unity but also sought to remind Kim Jong-un that he is the senior partner in their alliance.

© Pedro Pardo/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A giant screen in Beijing displayed news footage on Monday of the meeting between China’s president, Xi Jinping, and North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, in North Korea.
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A ‘Miraculous Transformation’: How Kim Jong-un Fortified North Korea

He used the pandemic to ruthlessly tighten his grip on the country. Then he energized its economy by leveraging Russia’s war in Ukraine.

© Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters

Kim Jong-un arriving at the Dong Dang railway station in Vietnam, near the Chinese border, in 2019.
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