China is rebuilding its grip on North Korea. Is Kim Jong Un ready to oblige?

try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry Trump signals war end, but strategist warns risks far from over TACO? Wolfe says Trump is ’eyeing the exits even sooner than we anticipated’ Wall Street closes marginally lower amid uncertainty over Iran conflict end Gold prices rise, helped by a softer dollar and sliding oil prices (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) China is rebuilding its grip on North Korea. Is Kim Jong Un ready to oblige? By Commodities Published 03/11/2026, 01:04 AM Updated 03/11/2026, 01:30 AM China is rebuilding its grip on North Korea. Is Kim Jong Un ready to oblige? 0 By Mei Mei Chu, Ju-min Park and Claire Fu DANDONG/SEOUL/SINGAPORE, March 11 - When Kim Jong Un arrived by armored train in Beijing for a military parade in September, the pageantry signaled a thaw in one of the world’s most important relationships after several years of frosty ties. Behind the spectacle of tanks and fighter jets, North Korea’s leader brought a senior economic team to talk trade and investment. Five weeks later, Chinese Premier Li Qiang reciprocated in Pyongyang, and China’s ambassador declared both countries were "writing a new chapter." For China, the mission is clear: reassert its traditional influence over a neighbor that has drawn closer to Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. North Korea has supplied troops and weapons to Moscow in exchange for fuel and food to shore up an economy hobbled by U.N. sanctions over its nuclear-weapons program. A Reuters examination reveals how Beijing is deepening engagement with North Korea as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to visit China and expresses interest in reviving talks with Kim for the first time since 2019. Satellite imagery shows China and North Korea are installing new infrastructure along the border — including roadworks and port facilities, some not previously reported — and forging closer economic links that boost Beijing’s sway over any U.S. overtures to Pyongyang. To document the shift, R...