Kim Jong-un’s visit to Beijing this week gave the world a rare glimpse of the North Korean leader doing something he normally leaves to others – diligently taking notes while Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke during their meeting.

In lengthy footage aired by state broadcaster China Central Television on Wednesday, Kim – whose age is unknown but is believed to be about 34 – is seen listening attentively, his head lowered, and taking notes as Xi tells him they should cherish the bilateral relations built by the two nations’ forefathers.

“North Korea, whether it likes it or not, has to take a kneel to China, and to communicate to China that it respects China and it needs China … it cannot do it alone without Chinese support, so this is a very humbling moment for North Korea in a sense,” said Graham Ong-Webb, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

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