Kim Jong-un, chairperson of North Korea's State Affairs Commission, sent condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the massive coal mine explosion disaster in Shanxi province, China. On the 22nd, a gas explosion in a coal mine tunnel in Changzhi, Shanxi province, killed 82 of the 247 workers and injured 128.
According to combined reports from major outlets including North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency on the 25th, Chairperson Kim said in a message to President Xi, "Upon hearing the sad news that a coal mine gas explosion in your country's Shanxi province caused many casualties, I express my deep sympathy to the general secretary comrade, the Chinese party, the government and the people of China, and the bereaved families of the victims." Kim added, "I sincerely hope that, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government with the general secretary comrade at the core, the Chinese people will quickly overcome the aftermath of the damage and that the bereaved families will overcome their grief and regain a stable life." The message was also published on the front page of Rodong Sinmun, which North Korean residents read.
Chairperson Kim is expected to hold a North Korea–China summit with President Xi soon. Xi recently met U.S. President Donald Trump, who visited Beijing, and discussed ways to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue. Based on this, the prevailing view is that as early as the end of this month or early next month, Xi will visit North Korea to sit down face to face with Chairperson Kim. The latest message of sympathy is also seen as a move to console China over a major disaster and to build a friendly atmosphere between the two countries ahead of the summit.
Some, however, assessed that compared with the message North Korea sent to Russia, the latest message of sympathy lacked expressions showing strong empathy. In the earlier message of sympathy that Chairperson Kim sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kim emphasized strong solidarity by saying, "Our people are sharing the misfortune and sorrow suffered by the brotherly Russian people," and "Our people will always stand with the Russian people." In contrast, the message to President Xi omitted such expressions indicating solidarity.
Experts say North Korea is maximizing its interests by closing ranks with Russia. Patricia Kim, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, earlier told VOA, "North Korea is reaping windfall gains by leveraging the implicit competitive dynamic between Moscow and Beijing," adding, "The biggest beneficiary in this strategic triangular configuration is North Korea."