Xi Jinping’s Pyongyang visit underscores China‑North Korea alliance

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang and was received by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and first lady Ri Sol‑Ju in a large‑scale ceremony. The event featured military parades, performances by children, white horses and giant portraits of the two leaders displayed in Kim Il‑Sung Square. During the meeting Xi said he wanted to lift relations with the North Korean regime “to new heights,” signalling continued political and economic support from Beijing as North Korea faces international sanctions.

The elaborate staging was intended to project unity and stability within North Korea’s regime while highlighting the strategic partnership that remains central to Beijing’s interests on the Korean Peninsula.