North Korea Backs Beijing on Taiwan and Accuses US of Fueling Tensions
Pyongyang has renewed its support for Beijing’s position on Taiwan, accusing Washington of encouraging separatism and destabilizing the region as North Korea and China deepen their strategic relationship.
North Korea has publicly reinforced its support for China’s position on Taiwan, accusing the United States of encouraging Taiwanese independence and aggravating instability in the region.
The criticism appeared Wednesday in a commentary by international affairs analyst Kim Myong-chol carried by North Korean state media. Kim argued that Washington had undermined regional stability through its approach to the Taiwan Strait and described US military support for Taiwan as a threat placed near China.
The commentary referred to a recent delivery of a US fighter jet to Taiwan and claimed that American arms supplied to the island over the past decade were worth more than $39 billion. It said the Taiwan question was entirely an internal Chinese matter and maintained that outside powers had no right to intervene.
Kim also warned Washington to consider whether it was prepared for direct confrontation with China over Taiwan. He asserted that instability in the Taiwan Strait would create a crisis for the United States and presented Taiwan’s eventual unification with China as inevitable. The statements reflected Pyongyang’s longstanding alignment with Beijing on the issue rather than announcing a new North Korean policy.
North Korea’s intervention comes as military activity and strategic competition around the Taiwan Strait remain a major source of friction between China and the United States. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-governed island under its control. Washington maintains unofficial relations with Taipei and provides it with defensive arms, while officially recognizing Beijing as the government of China.
The statement also illustrates the broader tightening of ties between North Korea and China. Their leaders met in Beijing in September 2025 and again in Pyongyang in June 2026. At the June summit, the two sides pledged to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership.
For Pyongyang, backing Beijing on one of China’s most sensitive sovereignty disputes offers a visible demonstration of political solidarity. It also places North Korea firmly alongside China in criticizing the US security role in East Asia. The rhetoric adds another layer to regional tensions at a time when diplomatic and military relationships among China, Taiwan, the United States and neighboring countries remain closely watched.