BEIJING, China: Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea from June 8 to 9 at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, marking his first overseas trip of 2026 and his first visit to Pyongyang in seven years.
China’s state media announced the visit on Wednesday, highlighting its significance amid shifting regional dynamics and growing geopolitical competition.
Xi’s trip comes after hosting separate summits with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, underscoring Beijing’s increasingly active diplomatic role on the global stage.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Xi and Kim will discuss bilateral relations and regional issues of mutual concern, with Beijing expressing hope that the visit will further strengthen ties and contribute to peace and stability in the region.
China remains North Korea’s most important political and economic partner, accounting for the vast majority of Pyongyang’s trade.
However, North Korea has deepened its relationship with Russia since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, supplying troops and weapons in exchange for economic assistance, food, energy supplies and military technology.
Analysts view Xi’s decision to make Pyongyang his first foreign destination this year as a strategic signal that North Korea remains firmly within China’s sphere of influence despite its growing cooperation with Russia.
SeongHyon Lee of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations described the trip as a deliberate rebuttal to perceptions that Pyongyang has shifted closer to Moscow.
The visit follows recent efforts by both Beijing and Pyongyang to strengthen coordination on international and regional issues.
It also comes as Kim Jong Un continues to advance North Korea’s military capabilities, recently pledging an “exponential” increase in the country’s nuclear forces.
South Korea said it hopes exchanges between China and North Korea will contribute to regional peace and stability, although Pyongyang has continued to reject Seoul’s attempts to improve inter-Korean relations.
Observers see Xi’s latest diplomatic outreach as part of China’s broader effort to present itself as a stable and influential global power amid international uncertainty. – AFP
