Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in North Korea

Chinese President Xi Jinping travelled from Beijing to Pyongyang, marking his first foreign trip of the year and his first visit to North Korea since 2019. Accompanied by senior officials, including the top secretary of the Communist Party and the foreign minister, Xi is expected to hold bilateral talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The visit comes after recent high‑level meetings in China involving U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and reflects Beijing’s aim to balance its influence on the Korean Peninsula amid growing Russian‑North Korean cooperation. Analysts note that China is concerned about North Korea’s expanding military ties with Russia and its dependence on Chinese trade, which remains above 90 percent. Observers suggest the trip could pave the way for increased economic or diplomatic support from China to curb North Korea’s tilt toward Moscow.