By: Julian Holbrooke
Xi Jinping’s June 9 visit to Pyongyang’s China-DPRK Friendship Tower wasn’t a casual stop. It was his second state visit to North Korea, and again he made a point to pay tribute there. In politics, repetition often speaks louder than words. This gesture wasn’t for headlines—it was for history.
The official story is straightforward. Xi reviewed the roster of fallen Chinese People’s Volunteers and shared martyr details with Kim Jong Un. He said the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea is an enduring memory for his generation, now passed to China’s youth. The tower stands under Moran Hill. Its reliefs show soldiers and civilians fighting side by side. North Korea renovated it majorly in June 2023 and uses it for war anniversary events.
But the deeper signal is clear. Both leaders agreed to jointly protect volunteer memorials. They called for revolutionary tradition programs and youth education. This isn’t static history—it’s active nation-building. Educators and workers say they’re turning sacrifice into living stories, artifacts, and immersive experiences, not just textbooks.
Outside observers see a relic. But Beijing and Pyongyang see a political anchor. It’s survived leadership changes, regional tensions, and shifting global conditions. Symbols live when governments invest meaning in them. This tower’s survival means their alliance still rests on shared wartime memory—and that won’t change anytime soon.
Author bio: Julian Holbrooke, an overseas international relations analyst contributing to major European daily newspapers.