Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea on June 8–9. This marks his first visit to Pyongyang in nearly seven years and is viewed as part of an effort to revitalize relations between Beijing and North Korea. Reuters reported this news, citing the state news agency Xinhua.

North Korea’s state media, KCNA, announced that the invitation for the visit came from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Last month, Xi Jinping held separate meetings in Beijing with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following that series of diplomatic engagements, his upcoming visit to North Korea is now drawing international attention.

Analysts believe that through this visit, China aims to reinforce its position as North Korea’s primary diplomatic and economic partner. John Delury, a senior fellow at the Asia Society, stated that China intends to convey the message that Beijing remains the most pivotal player regarding the North Korea issue. He added that the visit also aims to send a signal to Russia, given North Korea’s recent increase in military cooperation with Moscow. Exchanges between China and North Korea, which had been curtailed during the COVID-19 pandemic, are gradually returning to normal. Train services between Beijing and Pyongyang resumed in March, followed by the resumption of air travel. However, these connections are currently limited primarily to businesspeople and students; the borders have not yet fully reopened to tourists.

Xi Jinping’s First Foreign Visit of the Year
This will be Xi Jinping’s first foreign visit of the year. At 72 years of age, the frequency of his overseas trips has decreased compared to the past. Analysts observe that China seeks to maintain a balance between the two Koreas. Xi Jinping has previously visited North Korea once and South Korea twice. Last year, Kim Jong Un visited Beijing and participated in a military parade, traveling there aboard his signature green armored train. Meanwhile, North Korea recently announced an inspection of a new facility for producing nuclear materials. There, Kim Jong Un ordered a massive expansion of the country’s nuclear weapons capabilities. According to analysts, the announcement of these recent nuclear activities could also be viewed as a strategic message ahead of Xi Jinping’s visit.