China-North Korea alliance endures as a strategic shield against US military presence in Asia

Signed in 1961, the China-North Korea friendship treaty remains in force 65 years later, driven by the necessity of forming a united front against US influence in the region. North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song's visit to Beijing confirmed the continuation of this strategic cooperation.

Scraper SystemJuly 11, 2026, 09:57 PM

China-North Korea alliance endures as a strategic shield against US military presence in Asia

The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance signed between China and North Korea in 1961 remains in force 65 years later. The treaty stipulates that in the event of an armed attack against one party, the other shall provide military assistance, and it remains China's only formal military alliance.

North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song's three-day visit to Beijing this week took place as part of the 65th anniversary celebrations of the treaty. Signed on July 11, 1961, by then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, the agreement retains its strategic importance today.

China's stability priority and the US factor

For China, North Korea's stability is more important than the potential refugee influx from a collapse and the prospect of a unified Korean peninsula aligned with the US. Beijing wants the North Korean regime, which serves as a buffer on its 1,400-kilometer border, to remain in place.

The strengthening of US military cooperation with South Korea and Japan, joint exercises, and intelligence sharing are bringing Beijing and Pyongyang even closer. Tokyo's increase in defense spending and the presence of tens of thousands of American troops in South Korea are viewed by China as an 'encirclement effort'.

North Korea's maneuvering room and relations with Russia

North Korea, for its part, avoids becoming entirely dependent on Beijing. The comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed with Russia in 2024, which includes a mutual defense clause, expanded Pyongyang's maneuvering room.

While Russia offers North Korean leader Kim Jong Un advantages such as military technology, energy resources, and access to foreign currency, this situation is becoming both beneficial and unsettling for China. The deepening military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang could embolden Kim's nuclear ambitions and create instability in the region.

An alliance of necessity and the future

While China stands with North Korea against Western hegemony, it must steer Pyongyang away from behaviors that isolate it from the international community. Chinese President Xi Jinping's failure to mention nuclear weapons during his last visit to Pyongyang shows that Beijing is softening its criticism to avoid pushing Kim further toward Russia.

The alliance is not expected to remain unchanged in the coming period. While North Korea becomes more self-assured by deepening its ties with Russia, China is globally stronger but has more to lose from instability on the Korean Peninsula. This delicate balance will shape the alliance's future.

China-North Korea alliance endures as a strategic shield against US military presence in Asia