China’s National Congress

[Anchor Lead]

On Wednesday, China opened the 19th National Congress of its ruling Communist Party. The event takes place every five years and is Beijing’s most important political gathering. North Korea sent a congratulatory telegram. However, the message was brief and made no mention of the friendly ties between the two countries in sharp contrast to what the North has done in the past.

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North Korea sent a three-sentence telegram to congratulate China upon holding the 19th National Congress of its ruling Communist Party. The roughly 200-word message lacked remarks on friendly relations between Pyongyang and Beijing.

[Soundbite] (Korean Central TV(N. Korea, Oct. 18)) : "The central commission of North Korea's Workers' Party enthusiastically congratulates the Chinese Communist Party on holding the 19th National Congress. It also extends a warm greeting to the Chinese people and all members of the party."

The congratulatory message sent on the occasion of the 18th congress in 2012 was more than three times longer than the latest one and stressed amity between the two countries.

[Soundbite] (Korean Central TV (N. Korea, Nov., 2012) : "North Korea remains solid and firm on the stance to protect, strengthen and develop our tradition of friendly relations between Pyongyang and Beijing."

North Korea's latest message demonstrates the icy conditions of Pyongyang's current relations with China, compared to telegrams sent in 2002 for the 16th congress and in 2007 for the 17th gathering.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Hong-kyu(Ajou University) : "Kim Jong-un has expressed the determination that he will never have his country under the influence of China."

Experts are voicing predictions that Pyongyang will likely launch a low-level provocation on the occasions of China's ongoing party congress and the U.S. President's Asia trip next month. North Korea has often staged a show of force by conducting nuclear tests or firing missiles whenever key international events involving China were held, such as the G20 summit hosted by China in Hangzhou in September last year, a Beijing and Washington summit in Florida in April this year and a BRICS summit held in China last month.