North Korean media's coverage of the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party has subtly changed compared to last year, drawing attention.

The Workers' Party's official newspaper, <em>Rodong Sinmun,</em> reported on Wednesday on page 2 that the Central Committee of the Workers' Party sent a floral basket to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party to commemorate its 104th anniversary.

The report continued, stating that North Korea's ambassador plenipotentiary to China delivered the floral basket from the Central Committee of the Workers' Party to the vice-minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party on Monday.

In contrast, last year's July 2nd edition reported on page 6 that for the 103rd anniversary of the Communist Party, a North Korean embassy official in China delivered the floral basket from the Central Committee of the Workers' Party to an official from the International Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party on July 1st 2024.

The key differences between the two reports are the placement of the article, which was placed on page 6 last year and page 2 this year, and the specific identification of the vice-minister of the International Department and the North Korean ambassador plenipotentiary to China, rather than unnamed officials.

Notably, in 2023, for the 102nd anniversary, the newspaper specifically named Ri Ryong Nam, North Korea's ambassador plenipotentiary to China, and Guo Yezhou, the vice-minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, as the individuals involved in the exchange. That report appeared on the front page.

For the 101st anniversary in 2022, the newspaper published a separate article celebrating the founding of the Chinese Communist Party alongside the report about the floral basket delivery. Going back to 2021, the 100th anniversary, the newspaper featured a congratulatory message from Kim Jong Un to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

While these changes in reporting style over the past year may not represent a dramatic shift, as they don't restore previous practices like separate congratulatory messages, analysts suggest they are still meaningful given recent developments in North Korea-China relations.

Despite 2022 being the 75th anniversary of North Korea-China diplomatic relations, high-level exchanges were notably absent, except for the visit to North Korea by Zhao Leji, the chairman of the Standing Committee, in April. The subtle changes in this year's reporting may indicate an effort to manage the strained relations from the previous year.

Recently, North Korea resumed the Chinese language proficiency test (HSK) for the first time in six years. Meanwhile, China, during a recent meeting with Russia on Victory Day, joined in adopting a statement urging neighboring countries to cease unilateral coercive measures against North Korea, showcasing solidarity among North Korea, China, and Russia.

Furthermore, Wang Yajun, the Chinese ambassador to North Korea, emphasized the North Korea-China alliance by attending Kim Il Sung's birthday celebration in April.

Analysts suggest that the signs of improved relations between North Korea and China this year stem from aligned interests amid the current geopolitical landscape. China views North Korea as a strategic asset in countering U.S. influence, while North Korea seeks support from the Communist Party ahead of its 80th anniversary and upcoming party congress.

Professor Lim Eulchul from Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies stated that China likely feels the need to maintain communication with North Korea in preparation for potentially leveraging North Korea strategically, especially after the launch of Trump's second term. He added that North Korea, on the other hand, may be seeking to restore relations with China for political reasons, such as garnering support from the Communist Party that Russia cannot provide, as well as for economic benefits related to trade and exchanges.

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