“As close as lips and teeth” is how Mao Zedong famously described China’s ties with North Korea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pyongyang was a reminder that the old saying — which captures shared history and geographic proximity — still holds. But it also revealed something else: North Korea has become a far more difficult partner for China to manage.

The Chinese president arrived to an elaborate welcome on Monday, complete with a 21-gun salute and soldiers chanting wishes for his good health. Kim Jong Un and his wife greeted Xi at the airport — but beyond the pomp and pageantry is a much bigger question: How much influence does he still have over the North’s mercurial leader?

There is no doubt that Kim remains the weaker partner. China is thought to account for over 95% of North Korea’s trade, and despite closer links with Moscow, Beijing is still Pyongyang’s main diplomatic partner and an important buffer against international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program.

But compared with Xi’s last visit in 2019, Kim is in a significantly stronger position. He has a growing nuclear arsenal, a deepening military alliance with Moscow and far more room to resist pressure from Beijing to return to the negotiating table on........

© The Japan Times