China has announced that President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea for a two-day visit beginning June 8, marking his first trip to the country in nearly seven years as Beijing moves to reinforce ties with its only formal treaty ally.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Xi will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the visit, with both sides expected to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern.
Spokesperson Mao Ning said the trip will be used to advance the development of China–North Korea relations in line with current global conditions.
Analysts say the visit signals Beijing’s effort to reassert influence over Pyongyang, especially as North Korea has deepened cooperation with Russia following the COVID-19 pandemic.
China and North Korea remain bound by a long-standing treaty that obliges both countries to provide military assistance if either is attacked, underscoring the strategic importance of the relationship.
Observers also note that the visit sends a broader geopolitical message as China balances relations with the United States, Russia and the Korean Peninsula.
Xi’s trip comes after a series of high-level diplomatic engagements involving global leaders, highlighting Beijing’s active foreign policy positioning in recent months.
North Korea, meanwhile, has strengthened its ties with Moscow by supplying troops and weapons in support of Russia’s war in Ukraine, further complicating regional dynamics.
South Korean officials have said they view the visit as part of routine bilateral engagement rather than a coordinated trilateral alignment involving other powers.
Xi has made limited overseas trips in recent years, with his last visit to North Korea taking place several years ago, while Kim Jong Un has also increased diplomatic outreach through visits abroad and regional engagements.
