Xi Visits North Korea for First Time in Seven Years

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea on June 8, marking his first trip to the country in nearly seven years and his first foreign visit of the year.

During the two-day visit, Xi is scheduled to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. According to China’s Foreign Ministry, the talks will focus on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest, with the aim of strengthening ties between the two countries.

Analysts say the visit reflects Beijing’s efforts to reinforce its influence in Pyongyang at a time when North Korea has moved closer to Russia.

China and North Korea remain formally bound by a 65-year-old treaty of friendship and mutual assistance. However, relations have cooled in recent years due to the pandemic and North Korea’s growing cooperation with Moscow.

Kim has supported Russia’s war effort in Ukraine through arms shipments and the deployment of North Korean troops.

The announcement came shortly after Xi hosted summits in Beijing with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Analysts suggest the trip may also serve as a signal to Moscow that China remains North Korea’s primary strategic partner.

The visit follows recent calls by Kim for a significant expansion of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

(reuters, max)