China Briefing | In China, Kim Jong-un was an astute player on his international debut
In his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, the North Korean leader showed the world had underestimated his skill in playing a potentially explosive game of geopolitical chess
The Chinese authorities, which equally value secrecy, were happy to oblige. Official media reports about Kim’s visit were not released until he was safely back in his own country on Wednesday morning.
This has given rise to black humour on Chinese social media platforms. One of the better jokes regards the perfect timing of the massive sandstorm that swept much of Northern China, coinciding neatly with Kim’s brief stay from Sunday night to Wednesday.
The sandstorm, which turned the skies darkish yellow and greatly reduced visibility, was said to have been “man made” to prevent US satellites from spotting and targeting Kim’s special dark green train rumbling through China and his motorcade in Beijing.
China’s high-speed trains were delayed to make way for Kim amid heightened security regarding railway tracks and train stations.
The “secrecy” just added a dash of mystery to Kim’s first overseas visit since he took power in 2011, a visit that marked his international debut.
