Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea on Monday for a two-day state visit, marking his first trip to Pyongyang in nearly seven years and signaling Beijing’s efforts to strengthen ties with its longtime ally after years of limited engagement following the COVID-19 pandemic.
China announced the visit on Friday, saying Xi will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for talks on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. The visit will be Xi’s first foreign trip of the year and comes amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said both countries would use the visit to further develop relations in line with “the requirements of the new era.”
According to Chinese state media, Xi and Kim are expected to discuss political, economic and security cooperation, as well as broader regional developments.
The visit comes as North Korea has deepened its relationship with Russia in recent years, including through military cooperation linked to the war in Ukraine. Pyongyang’s growing ties with Moscow have attracted international attention and raised questions about the future balance of influence among North Korea’s key partners.
For Beijing, the trip represents an opportunity to reaffirm its role as North Korea’s most important diplomatic and economic partner. China remains Pyongyang’s largest trading partner and a critical source of economic support despite international sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs.
The two countries are linked by a 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, which includes commitments to provide military support if either side comes under attack. The agreement remains one of the most significant pillars of relations between Beijing and Pyongyang.
Recent months have seen signs of renewed engagement between the neighbors. Passenger rail services between Beijing and Pyongyang resumed in March after a six-year suspension, while air links have also been restored as cross-border exchanges gradually recover from pandemic-era restrictions.
Xi’s visit follows a series of high-profile diplomatic engagements involving major world leaders. The Chinese president has met U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this year, while Kim attended a military parade in Beijing last September, underscoring growing contacts between the two governments.
The trip also comes as North Korea continues to expand its nuclear and missile programs. Kim has repeatedly called for strengthening the country’s nuclear arsenal, prompting concern from the United States, South Korea and Japan.
