Sino-North Korean Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation, and Mutual Assistance

The Sino-North Korean Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation, and Mutual Assistance is a treaty signed on 11 July 1961 between North Korea and China. Its official name is the Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The treaty is currently the only defense treaty China has with any nation, while North Korea's only other such treaty is with Russia.

History
After the 1961 May 16 coup, the new South Korean leader Park Chung Hee urged for an increase in military spending and for action to be taken against North Korea. The North Korean leadership feared a South Korean invasion and turned to the Soviet Union and China for support.

Kim Il Sung arrived in Beijing in 1961 to sign the treaty just a few days after signing the North Korean-Soviet Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty. However, the Soviet treaty has not entered into force since the 1990s, and only a revised "consultation" treaty was re-ratified in 1999.

The treaty was signed by North Korean Premier Kim Il Sung and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai on 11 July 1961 in Beijing, just a few days after the signing of the North Korean-Soviet Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty. The Soviet treaty however has not been in effect since the 1990s with only a revised "consultation" treaty being re-adopted in 1999. The treaty came into effect on 10 September 1961.

Content
The treaty generally promoted peaceful cooperation in the areas of culture, economics, technology and other social benefits between the two nations. Specifically, Article 2 of the treaty declares the two nations undertake all necessary measures to oppose any country or coalition of countries that might attack either nation.

In accordance with Article 7, the Treaty remains in force unless an agreement is reached on its amendment or termination.