Xi Jinping makes rare visit to North Korea

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea on June 8‑9 for a two‑day official visit, the first by the Chinese leader since 2019. He was invited by North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and will hold talks in Pyongyang shortly after Xi’s meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing.

The trip underscores China’s role as North Korea’s main economic and political partner amid ongoing international sanctions over Pyongyang’s nuclear program. Korean officials hope Xi’s influence could revive dialogue between North and South Korea and ease regional tensions, while Beijing watches the expanding China‑North Korea‑Russia alignment with caution.