North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress all but ignored key alliances with Russia and China, avoiding policy specifics and any mention of its foreign friends by name.

But experts say the DPRK’s silence at the important political event should not be interpreted as a snub, arguing that Pyongyang will only deepen its alignment with the two countries as it looks to play a larger role in the international arena.

On the final day of the Party Congress, leader Kim Jong Un stressed the need to “continuously develop and advance our traditional friendly and cooperative relations with neighboring countries.” He also called