Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Pyongyang for a two-day state visit on June 8 and 9, in what will be his first visit to North Korea in almost seven years. The trip was announced by both countries and is being presented as a major diplomatic event aimed at strengthening relations between China and North Korea at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
The visit comes only weeks after Xi separately hosted U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing. The timing gives the trip additional significance, as China is seeking to reaffirm its influence over Pyongyang while North Korea has recently deepened its ties with Russia.
The announcement also came one day after North Korea revealed a new facility for producing material used in nuclear bombs. During a visit to the facility, Kim Jong Un announced plans to strengthen the country’s nuclear forces “at an exponential rate.” South Korea’s military assessed that the site is a uranium enrichment plant.
In recent years, Kim has prioritized relations with Russia, including by sending troops and conventional weapons in support of Moscow’s war against Ukraine. At the same time, North Korea has recently moved closer again to China, its largest trading partner and main provider of aid.
Xi and Kim last met in Beijing in September, when they pledged mutual support and stronger cooperation. Kim had travelled to the Chinese capital to attend a military parade alongside foreign leaders, including Putin.
The visit is therefore being interpreted as more than a bilateral meeting. It signals an effort by Beijing to reinforce its role in Korean Peninsula affairs, while Pyongyang uses the moment to show diplomatic backing from China at the same time as it expands its nuclear programme.
