Beijing officially announced that Kim Jung Un and his wife had made an unofficial visit, after he he had left for home.

So is there no daylight between China and North Korea going into his summits with South Korea and the US?

Given Kim’s sense of betrayal over China’s support for tough sanctions what did he get from this trip? Is this the end of Chinese support for any intensification of the “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign, so long as he doesn’t test again? Or will China now try to reduce the pressure?

The coverage was extensive, he got a lot of face time with Xi, and the general messaging seems to be that the errant junior ally has returned to the correct path. Xi was shown speaking to him confidently and without notes, and listening but not writing anything down while Kim spoke. Kim was shown reading prepared remarks and studiously taking notes while Xi spoke.

The propaganda makes it look like a tributary bromance is budding.

Thanks for reading.