Niklas Swanström was interviewed by the South China Morning Post about Xi Jinping’s visit to North Korea
June 8, 2026: Niklas Swanström, ISDP’s Executive Director, was interviewed by the South China Morning Post about Xi Jinping’s visit to North Korea.
“[Russia’s] role with Pyongyang is military and transactional, whilst China provides long-term economic and political sustainability.”
“Overall, Xi’s message is one of managed proximity: close enough to prevent instability or exclusion, distant enough to avoid being held responsible for Pyongyang’s provocations.”