Kim Jong-il’s Visit to China: An Abiding Friendship?

After days of silence about Kim Jong-il’s recent secretive visit to China, the Chinese and North Korean news agencies Xinhua and KCNA released a statement saying that the traditional friendship
of China and North Korea had been reaffirmed. Some questions remain about whether Kim’s visit
provided a breakthrough for improving North Korea’s difficult political and economic situation and whether it will lead to moves that will decrease the security threat DPRK poses to the region.